Country Lass: Return
by Created to Write
Summary: No one is prepared for it. Heather has no idea what's coming. Steve had no idea he'd have to face this again. New faces and old ones come in this next adventure, and Heather needs all the strength she can find to survive.
1. Prologue

**Hello faithful readers! I know that a lot of you have been very patient. Some are waiting for other stories I haven't completed yet, and I'm sorry for not getting them up. But I have other writing things that have a higher priority in my life (revising a novel being one of them).**

 **This is the third installation of _Country Lass_! Heather is back again, with a Prologue to start.**

 **I may change the rating to 'M' if people feel like it should. But for now, I'll leave it at 'T'.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the content that you can find in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) movies or comics. I have characters (and a couple places) that I have thought up on my own, and the plot is of my design as well. Anything that is not owned by me I will specify (at the end of each chapter, so nothing is given away at the beginning.) But this is the only spot I will put a disclaimer for Marvel. (I only need one, really.)**

 **And now, here it is!**

* * *

Monitors light up the room in a dim haze, one person in solid black sitting at each one. The soldiers along the walls watch those forced there against their will, as well as the entrances and giant window at the head of the room. The technology the base had amassed is more advanced than the decades ago. After being in the shadows for too long, it was brought back to its former glory.

The monitors capture anything about Hydra, trying to bring its secrets back into the dark. But far too much of the information the Black Widow released has hit the news or spread by word of mouth. Coming ahead was a losing battle on that front.

And their facilities have been decreasing, with the Avengers at the head of the assault. Hydra is struggling, but doing so with a stubborn pride. They still have resources, they still have time. And no one would think to look in plain sight. Not even Captain America-

One of the Heads of Hydra, who has been standing at the window as the agents behind him work unceasingly, is interrupted in his thoughts as the commotion behind the large doors becomes louder. "What is the problem?" He asks the nearest soldier.

"There is an intruder," the soldier answers.

"Why hasn't it been taken care of?"

The doors fly open. Everyone turns from their post to stare at the intruder. Soldiers stand behind him, no longer at their posts dutifully. A few are on the floor, as they had been loyal to the end.

The intruder looks around as the entire room stares. "Impressive, I must admit," he says, "but I don't believe it is under sufficient management." He locks onto the Head near the window.

"Who are you?" he is asked.

The intruder tsks, "And so poor knowledge. You'd think you would know."

"Guards, take him!" The Head yells. A few step forward, albeit hesitantly. The intruder whips out a gun and shoots them not a second after. They disappear completely in a flash of blue.

The whole room goes stiff. "..Now," he puts the gun away, starting a walk to the front of the room.

"I am one of the six Heads of Hydra, you cannot barge into this secret base and-"

"Six heads? No no no," the intruder stops next to the Head, looking him over with an unimpressed gaze. "There are six heads in the mythology. Unfortunately for you," he sighs, "with this Hydra, there is only one." He promptly turns on his heel. "Shoot him," he tells the guards as he starts to walk to the window.

"WHAT!"

"And anyone else that aligns with him." There is one blast and a scream, followed by a few more sporadic ones. "Hail Hydra," he says, falling right into his role.

All the guards salute, "Hail Hydra!"

The new leadership turns to the faces lit up with monitors. They stare at him, in full fear. "Well..?" He asks.

One looks at those around him, then salutes, "Hail Hydra." Others follow his example. The intruder smiles, staring out at the wintry landscape once more.

"Tell me-" he says to the closest soldier, "-about these.. Avengers."

* * *

 **In case there are questions (I should hope there are) about the prologue, I hope it is also obvious that I will not be answering them at this time.  
** **Also, if you think you know the answer to a question, please do not put said answer in a review (unless I actually ask the question in the A/N. You can answer those). Other people can see those besides myself. I ask that you please keep it to yourself until it is answered in the story (in that case, you can be all, 'I KNEW IT!' as much as you like.)**

 **I'll try to get chapters up a.s.a.p. Like.. two a day, does that sound good? I already have the first sixteen written (Yes, it's going to be another long one. Better buckle in for the ride.)**

 **That's all for this chapter.**

 **Signing off,  
** **~CtW**


	2. Chapter 01

**As promised, here is the official first chapter of _Country Lass: Return_!**

 **I don't know if anyone was wondering, "Where's Heather?" during the prologue.  
For those that have, now your question has been answered.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Above their heads, the green leaves start to turn a greenish yellow. The wind picked up halfway down the trail, but Heather was neither hindered nor displeased. She hops over rocks, Steve not too far behind.

"Come on!" She yells over her shoulder, taking a sharp turn around a column of rocks.

'If I didn't have the serum as well, I'd be complaining about her abundance of energy,' Steve thinks to himself, "Coming!" He takes the turn, only to see Heather already on the cliff face, rope around her waist. 'Although I think she's pushing my boundaries a little,' he adds. He takes up the other gear and follows her up. Heather waits for him, then takes off once his foot is out of the harness.

"It's so cool! But please don't tell Stark-"

"I won't, I promise," Steve says. Heather is always excited to explore the mountains. But this time, Steve can't help but smile at the child-like glee radiating off of Heather right now. She's like Steve was when his mother took him out for a treat on Saturdays.

"Waterslide, or stairs?" Heather asks, finally standing still for a second.

"Uhh.." Steve sees two entrances before them. One is higher up, a tunnel branching off from a stream, on the hill before them with water gushing down the hole. The other looks like crude stairs, with a few loose rocks. "Stairs."

Heather looks at him, "the water way is safe, you know."

"Is that where you got those scrapes?" Steve asks. Heather turns toward the chosen entrance, rubbing the wrappings on her forearm.

They start down and Heather is more careful with where she places her foot. There are a few places they have to cross a tunnel that cuts through, but Heather is sure of where she is going. They take out their Avenger phones to light the way.

The stairs tunnel turns up then flattens out. "Okay, turn off the light."

Steve does so, and Heather turns to look at him. "..What?" He asks, questioning the giant smile on her face.

"Prepare to be amazed," Heather says, then turns around and walks around the corner. Steve follows and is instantly in awe.

The entire cavern, which is circular and tall, is coated in sparkling- "Diamonds."

"Yeah.." Heather sighs, "this must have been a volcanic tube, but it's dormant now."

"And now I know why I shouldn't tell Tony," Steve says, walking to the center and looking up.

"Billionaire learns of diamonds on his property, what will he do?" Heather asks rhetorically over her shoulder. Steve nods.

"You haven't taken any?" He looks back at her.

Heather motions with both arms, "And ruin this? Not a chance! And look!" She scampers to the wall and disappears between the diamond clusters. Steve walks over as bits of rubble roll to the floor. He sees the entrance just as she pokes her head out, a few yards up the wall, "There's a balcony," she says, stating the obvious.

"I guess you spend your solo mountain treks reasonably," Steve says.

"You know I'm responsible," Heather says, sitting down.

"Yes, but you could get in danger, there are animals up here, it isn't a park, it's a mountain range."

"I know that," Heather says.

"We should get back," Steve says. He looks up. The view is pretty, with oranges and reds starting to coat the top diamonds. But it also tells him that the sun is starting to set.

Heather is next to him in moments. She starts for the tunnel, but Steve stops her.

"Do you want to get Leslie something? Or Andrew?"

Heather looks back at him. Her siblings love it when she gets them gifts. But they probably love them mostly because she visits them every time they get something. Heather looks around, then spots a couple diamond shards on the floor. "Those were there when I got here the first time," Heather tells him.

"I trust you," Steve says as she picks them up. Heather looks them over.

"..I can make these into necklaces well enough," she tucks them into her jean pockets, then Steve leads the way out to fresh air.

They walk back to the cliff and scale down, silently. When Heather's feet touch the ground she asks, "..You wanted to talk about something?"

Steve looks behind him.

"You know, before we left?"

Steve nods. He sits down on the rocks they went around earlier and pats next to him. Heather sits down too. "You know what day it is, right?"

Heather thinks, "August twenty-six. Why?"

Steve looks like he is trying to find the right words, "And do you know what is on September second?"

Heather leans against the rocks behind her, "Well.. the only thing I can think of is that school tended to start about-" She stops and looks at Steve. "..No."

Steve sighs, "Yes. Heather I'm thinking you should-"

"No, Steve. I don't want to go back to school."

"You are sixteen, Heather. You would be a junior. I suggest you finish your education and the other Avengers agree," Steve says sternly. Heather sighs.

"..Where?" Heather asks, knowing better than to complain.

"New York. I found an apartment you and I will move into. Everyone else will be at the Tower."

"Tony finished it?"

"Yes."

"..Why are you away from it?" Heather asks, looking at him from the side.

"The apartment is closer to the school. I.. we, can get to the tower fast enough if there is a mission."

Heather perks up at that, "I'll still go on missions?" Then she thinks of something else, "Will people know you are my guardian?"

"No, they won't. That wouldn't be a good idea." Heather nods. "But, that also means you can't show you are a little different than everyone else. No showing off."

"Don't worry, I have a feeling I won't have a problem," Heather says under her breath.

Steve pats Heather's knee, "We should get back so we can start packing."

He stands up as Heather asks, "When are we leaving?"

"In a couple days. We need to adjust to the area before you start school."

Heather mutters something to herself as she follows him down the trail.

"What was that?" He asks.

Heather takes a running leap, ricochets off a tree, and yells, "I hate school!" as she flips over Steve.

"But..?" Steve asks after she lands.

Heather doesn't look at him. "..I'll give it a second chance. If everyone thinks I should."

Steve nods, taking what she said for what it's worth. 'She should have something normal in her life,' he reminds himself, 'and finishing high school is important. I just hope she can see that.'

* * *

 **You have no idea how long I've waited to put the crystal cave into Heather's story. I had thought up dozens of scenarios, where she shows it to many many different people (not all of them were in the Marvel world, either.)**

 **And I realize that the Appalachian Mountains probably don't have volcanoes -dormant or not- in them. This is fiction, I can do what I want.**

 **Fun fact: I loved school, so Heather's opinions are not based off of my life story. ..Just something I wanted to clear up.**

 **Q &A:  
Do you think Heather going back to school is a good idea? Why?  
**

 **See you tomorrow!  
~CtW**


	3. Chapter 02

***singing* Moving to a city that I've never been~!  
At least.. Heather is.**

 **I have never been to New York, so a few things in this story may be a little.. off.**

 **Here's Chapter 2!**

* * *

Heather has a few boxes, packing her clothes, guitar, and pictures. Tony had allowed them to order bedding and other necessities for the apartment, because they will come back to the Ranch someday. They should keep it stocked.

Heather finishes the last box and picks up her full backpack. She looks around the room. "We won't be gone forever," Steve says.

Heather turns around, "But won't we be at the Tower in the summer?"

Steve picks up a box, "That will depend on the future. You'll be back at the Ranch again, Heather. It isn't going away."

Heather nods numbly and picks up the other boxes, setting a second one on Steve's. They fill the back of the truck. Before taking her place in the passenger seat, she looks longingly at her motorcycle in the garage. But she understands, no sixteen year old should be riding one of those. It would raise questions.

She shuts the door a little harder than she needed to and puts on her seatbelt. Steve starts the truck as the quinjet takes off from the large grass opening. Heather leans against the window, cheek in palm, and stares at the trees as they pass by.

"Want to turn on the music?" Steve asks. Heather immediately turns to the CD tray on the floor between them. Jarvis had assisted in putting her favorite songs on them, so she had them at easy access. Heather puts one in the truck's system and 'Shut up and Fish' by Maddie and Tae starts playing.

Heather leans against the seat and Steve doesn't comment on the song. If he learned anything about Heather's method of song choice, it is how the songs reflect how she's feeling in some way.

'But I guess that's true for almost everyone,' Steve says to himself, 'I just haven't been around a lot of people that listen to music as much as her.' This time, it is no doubt the first part of the title that catches the major thought going through Heather's mind.

* * *

A few hours, which is the equivalent to multiple songs, the pair arrive at New York. Heather had never been to the city before, so her angst at having to leave the place that is the most like her home is forgotten at the awe of the Big Apple.

Steve can't help but smile at the child in Heather to surface again. He even lets her put her head out the window to try to see the tops of the skyscrapers.

Although, the initial excitement is dampered by the traffic. Heather slumps in her seat a little, waiting for the truck to move forward again.

They make it to the area the apartment is in, which is has residencial sized traffic. Steve parks at the curb and they are greeted inside by the landlord. Steve gets the key and goes to unlock the door. Heather takes up boxes with the landlord, who wasn't one to talk much. They pass Steve and find the door kept open by a door stop. Heather walks in after the landlord and takes a look at the first room.

The door opens into the living room part, the kitchen is to the right, with a little bit of wall separating it with a counter coming off it. There are two entrances into the kitchen, the farthest one kiddy-corner to a hallway. Heather takes her boxes and walks down it. There are three bedrooms, a laundry room, and a bathroom.

"Pick any of the rooms Heather," Steve says, coming in again.

Heather looks into each of them; all of the bedrooms are about the same size. She looks over her shoulder, feeling a little bit of spite coming up. She then takes the room at the very end of the hall. She puts her stuff down on the bed and goes back for more. "There, I got my room." She leaves before she can see Steve's expression.

When Heather comes back up, Steve had chosen the room to the left of hers, across from the laundry room. The bathroom is next to that, with the now guest bedroom across from it. Steve doesn't look perturbed in the slightest, which bothers Heather.

"I don't care which room you choose," he says, almost reading her mind, "Let's finish unpacking. Tomorrow we'll go shopping for school supplies and anything else you need."

Heather sighs, "Yes sir," she says with mock cheer.

"Heather," Steve says before she can fully leave his doorway. She looks at him, "Please don't fight me on this. We are here, and we'll make the best of it, together. Okay?"

Heather wipes the hair away from her forehead, "Yeah, okay. I said I would give school a second chance, so I will." She then goes to her room to put her stuff away. She then pauses halfway through when she sees her phone. "Is there a rooftop I can go to?"

"Finish unpack-"

"I want to call," Heather says. Steve doesn't finish his statement.

"Yes, out the door, all the way up the stairwell. Mr. Wilbur said there is a red door that goes to the roof."

"Thanks!" Heather says, already out the door. She finds the roof easily and dials the number. She waits, sitting on a bench someone placed on the roof. 'The city looks beautiful from this point of view,' she thinks, right as the dialing tone stops.

"Hello?" the agent asks.

Heather takes a deep breath, "Heather Claire Morse, aka Country Lass, security number 437486, requesting permission to talk to Mr. and Mrs. Morse and their children."

"..One moment." Heather sighs internally, relieved that they finally found a way to shorten that.

The line has a short chime then, "Hello?" comes through, this time a younger, more feminine voice.

"Hi Leslie!" Heather says.

"Heather!" Her sister cheers, as if anyone else calls them, "You're early."

"I couldn't wait until the weekend. I wanted to tell you something."

"..What?"

"Guess where I am."

"I thought you were going to tell me," Leslie pouts.

"Just guess."

"Hmm.. Hawiaii."

"Nope."

"Mmmmmmmmmmmmm….. Uhhh…. Texas..?"

"One more guess."

"..Canada?"

Heather laughs, "Nope. I'm in New York City."

"..Whoa! Really?"

"Yep. I have to go to school here. But I'll get you a postcard, and other souvenirs for the next time I visit, okay?"

"Thank you Heather!"

"..So," Heather crosses her legs, "how's life?"

"Life is.. Life is good," Leslie says.

"Anything different with gymnastics?" Heather tries.

"I finished another trick on the balance beam! My instructor said she's impressed."

"I bet she is. You are very talented Leslie," Heather says. She listens to Leslie talk about her friends and how she has to start school too, but she won't leave to go to a public school SHIELD has teachers in the building and she'll be in a small group of girls and boys her age. They'll meet in different places and she already knows her teacher.

Heather smiles and adds a few comments, but doesn't know what else to say. She didn't have what Leslie has. Her little sister will be in a good environment, with people that care about her education. Heather hasn't had much of that in her past experience of school.

'But then again,' Heather thinks, 'I had trouble with dyslexia before. Now, it might be a little easier.' She looks out at the sky, 'I hope..'

"I have to go, Heather."

"Okay, I love you! Make sure to tell everyone I love them, too."

"..Even Daddy?"

Heather stops at that. Her father had fallen into a coma a few weeks ago. The doctors keep him hooked onto the machines and try to figure out what is going on in his systems. They say he's stable for now, but they don't know how to help him get better.

"Yes," Heather says, "people sleeping like that can still hear you. He needs to know that we still love him. He won't leave us if he knows that."

"Okay, I'll ask Mom to tell him. Or Andy. I.. I don't like seeing Daddy like that."

"..I don't either. I'll call again, okay?"

"Okay! I love you too!" Then the line goes dead. Heather never says goodbye, she doesn't want it to be the last time.

* * *

 **Heather being salty during the car ride to New York City.  
I do not own any of the songs mentioned.**

 **There are important aspects in Heather's life I need to touch up on every once in a while, and her family is one of them.**

 **I don't know the specifics of her dad's condition, but it's one of the worst cases at the facility.**

 **And another thing to note, how Heather acts around certain people and places.  
Just to keep in mind.**

 **Signing off,  
~CtW**


	4. Chapter 03

**Chapter 3 already? ..Well, it was going to happen sooner or later.**

 **I skipped a bit of stuff, because it wasn't necessary.  
But I had to get the Avengers Tower in the picture, even for a little (I did my research.)**

* * *

After a little bit of shopping and a lot of sleep, Heather and Steve stop by the Avengers Tower. It's in Manhattan, with tall buildings surrounding it. Heather could see the tower from her window back at the apartment. But now she'll actually be in it.

They take the elevator to the top floors, finding most of the team already there. "Welcome to our new Headquarters!" Tony says. Heather frowns at him. "What did I say?" Tony asks Steve, seeing the teens reaction.

"She's still sore about leaving the Ranch." Tony looks at Heather, then shrugs and continues.

"Every Avenger has a level, but yours will be empty since you two are staying elsewhere. But it is here for emergencies," Tony says, standing up and walking to the balcony, "This is for everyone, the party deck, if you will. Above us is the laboratories and penthouse. Below, in that order is the recreational activities, dining hall, private quarters, the headquarters and debriefing rooms, our suits are there as well, then the kitchen and room service but there is a pantry for each private floor-"

Tony continues to ramble, showing the pair more of the Tower. Heather mostly looks around. This is the same tower (of sorts) that the Invasion of New York took place around. The portal opened up above it.

Heather and Steve are shown where his floor is, which is above Tony's and below Clint's. The whole floor isn't too large, being the Tower is pretty slim. Steve finds his room and Heather wanders a little through the living room. She finds another bedroom, originally for a guest, no doubt, but now it has a few items that have some relevance to her.

"Tony must have been thinking of me on short notice," Heather says, looking out the window.

"Indeed he did, Ms. Morse," Jarvis says.

Heather starts for a moment, but then sighs, "Nice to hear you again Jarvis."

"It hasn't been too long, but it is satisfactory to be of service again," Jarvis replies.

"I won't be staying."

"I am aware of that. Have a good day."

"Thank you." Heather finds a bathroom through an a joining door, then walks back out to find Steve looking around. "You aren't thinking of staying, are you?"

"It's a lot to take in," Steve says.

"You used to have no home, and now you have two," Heather says, "welcome to my world."

"Except you've always had a home," Steve points out.

"..Not one I could go to whenever I wanted," Heather says, "the Ranch didn't really feel like a home for a while. It was just, a place. Now there's grandma and grandpa's farm, the Ranch, the apartment," Heather counts on her fingers, "here-"

"Don't forget Silven," Steve says.

Heather sighs, "..I don't count that anymore. I haven't been there since spring, and I don't think I ever will. But.. I can't let go of it yet. My family still has a chance to return." Steve walks over and offers a hug. Heather takes it briefly, then Tony walks back in after checking something. They are shown the rest of Steve's floor, which has a small personal gym, the pantry as mentioned before, and a small library.

They take the elevator to the other areas, skipping the floors for the rest of the team's private affairs. Heather approves of the training area, complete with a Mental Landscape Simulator. Steve agrees they can come to the Tower for training. It would be hard to explain if they were sparring in the apartment.

"It's getting late," Steve notes, "we should get back. You need to get used to your new sleep schedule."

"As if I didn't get up early before?" Heather asks, half-heartedly. They go back to the truck and soon enough, they are back at the apartment. Heather puts on her headphones as she reads for a little. Steve calls her to dinner and she eats silently.

"..Not a fish person, I see."

Heather looks up.

"You haven't been touching it. Only moving it around," Steve points out.

Heather looks at the fish, "..Well.." It was a little brown.

"..I'm not the greatest cook," Steve admits.

Heather laughs briefly, "I guess not. We're used to Jarvis, aren't we?" Steve laughs too. "Don't worry, I can do some cooking too."

"Thank goodness." Then they finish eating. Heather takes the bathroom first, thinking of the big one in the Tower.

'I don't need something like that,' she tells herself, 'I have what I need.' She dries her hair as she steps out.

Steve then closes the door behind him and Heather goes to her room. She has a pamphlet about her new school. She reads it over again.

"They make it sound perfect," Heather tells herself. She reaches for her guitar and starts to play a song she remembers. After getting the tune down, she softly strums until it sounds right. "I'm not perfect, but I keep trying-"

"Heather! Go to bed," Steve says, finally out of the bathroom.

Heather sighs, "Alright Steve! ..Goodnight!"

"Goodnight." The light under her door turns off. She puts the guitar away and turns off her lamp. Heather shuffles under the sheets.

'Five days,' she thinks, 'I'm going back to school in five days. ..What a nightmare.'

* * *

 **Now we can get right to school. ..I find it ironic that I'm writing and posting this after I had graduated. Hah!**

 **Q &A:  
How do you like the description of the Tower?**

 **See you tomorrow!  
~CtW**


	5. Chapter 04

**Now she's off to school.**

 **..Eh heh...**

* * *

Heather is painstakingly slow when checking over her backpack. "Heather! You ready to-" Steve looks through her door, then sighs, "Heather, it's packed. You don't want to be late."

"Actually," Heather stands up, her backpack going over her shoulder, "We'll be early at this rate."

"But I still want to talk to the principal, make sure you can get to all your classes, that stuff."

Heather rolls her eyes and starts for the front door, "How will you do that without giving away your identity? I'm supposed keep a low profile, and that means no superhero guardians can actually visit school."

"Yes, if I was a superhero guardian." Heather turns around after she hears some beeping. Standing before her is a different person, with a little darker hair and now dull green eyes.

"..Steve?"

He looks at his appearance, "Can you still tell?" Heather gives him an annoyed look. "..Tony upgraded my phone when we were at the Tower. This way, I can be in public and give away.. Well, you."

Heather nods, "Great, but won't Wilbur think it is strange-?"

Steve presses near his ear and the image falls away. His phone is in a new form, on his ear like a headset. All their phones can do that, but now there is a new reason besides communication. "I'll be careful."

"Uh huh.." Heather hums slowly, "Now who's making us late?" They walk to the truck and head towards the school at the edge of the nearby suburbs.

Heather is deathly silent as she stare out the window. "It will make you feel better to talk about it," Steve says. She sighs and leans against the door. "Trust me."

"I do," Heather says, "The first day is always hard." She looks over at him, "As you know, my last school didn't have a very safe environment for girls."

"Bryce, right." Heather looks back at Steve long enough to nod. "..What grad was he in again?"

"He was a junior, eleventh grade. Apparently I was the only girl he hadn't.. been with ..Including my best friend." Heather touches the glasses she had brought with. Green and silver, the same she wore on the way to the Ranch.

Heather doesn't let Steve reply to her statement.

"He has zero respect for girls!" she starts to rant, "And since I didn't have the serum, I couldn't have beaten him. But it doesn't mean I had to do anything with him."

"You could have told someone," Steve involuntarily states. Heather bursts out laughing.

"He practically ruled the school! Even the teachers. He could mouth off to the principal and get away with it. I'm actually famous; The only girl to see past his charm before it was too late."

"You don't have to worry about him though, remember? That was at your last school," Steve assures as they round the bend into the school parking lot. Heather's eyes widen as her eyes look out the windshield.

"No.." The group of guys part to show a cocky redhead sitting on top of a truck. He stares in surprise ending in a smirk when he sees Heather.

As he combs his shaggy hair with his fingers, Steve thinks, 'what does that boy imagine?' He stops the truck and Heather takes a deep breath. "We can go to the other side of the school if you want," Steve suggests.

"No we can get out here, it's just he's supposed to be in prison, that's all," she says shaking her head. Steve pulls over to a parking space away from the truck full of boys. Heather opens her door and hops out.

Heather feels Bryce's attention lock onto her. She closes the door and waits for Steve to join her.

"Heather, baby," Bryce yells from his sweet truck. She wishes she was wearing something less noticeable. Her blue tanktop, red jacket, and white capris with a red belt didn't exactly help. But she wasn't expecting _him_ of all people.

"Bryce," she says, trying to be civil. But she doesn't look at him, "I'm not your baby."

Steve finally comes to her side of the truck. Bryce eyes him carefully, but the image of 'Grant Parcel' is already in place.

"What a surprise, you're the new kid? I thought I'd never see you again," Bryce says, looking away from Steve. "And who's the guy? ..Aww... What happened to Mommy and Daddy, babe?"

"I thought you were in prison," Heather retorts. She and Steve have started to walk to the school doors.

Bryce's smirk deepens and he walks towards her. "You know where you are?"

"School property?" Bryce suddenly moves to grab her arm. Steve suddenly gets between them. Bryce stares at him, then looks around Steve and eyes Heather.

"So he's a bodyguard," Bryce says, amused.

He gives her the smulder. 'I'll admit, he's good looking,' Heather tells herself, 'His deep gaze paired with hair that looks like fire in the sunlight could make any girl swoon, except me. I know what he really is.' She scowls at those steel gray eyes. 'I know how to pick a monster out of a crowd.'

"You will leave her alone," Steve says.

"Or what?" Bryce says, "you gonna fight me?"

"I just might-" Heather puts a hand on Steve's elbow. He unclenches his fist and steps away. "..Let's get you to class, Heather." Steve puts and arm around her shoulders protectively and they walk to the school with Bryce smug and seething behind them.

* * *

 **You remember that one guy that Heather hates with all her guts?  
He's the same fictional guy that I hate with all my guts.  
And I put him back into the story.**

 **Bryce is officially a character in the story. You'll have to read on to find out more about him.  
** **And read on you can!**

 **Catch you on the flip side,**

 **~CtW**


	6. Chapter 05

**..I have no words. Just- *glares at Bryce with Hulk's rage in her eyes* _Bryce.. Hulk should smash. Hulk should smash much. Like Loki._**

 ***Cough* I mean what?**

* * *

Steve and Heather walk out of the principal's office, shaking his hand, "As I said, Heather will fit in just fine. As long as she is on her best behavior."

"You won't have to worry about that, sir, will he Heather?" Steve looks at his charge. Heather has had a scowl on her face for most of the meeting. She smiled a few times, but there was a distance in her eyes.

She looks up, "I'm a good girl," she says, smiling again.

The principal is a little wary of her, but he doesn't bring his thoughts to words, "Well then, if you have your schedule, you should get to class."

"Thank you." He retreats back to his office and the pair walk down the hall. Heather counts until she reaches her locker.

"Will you be okay? If he's here-"

"I can fight my own battles," Heather says abruptly.

"I do not want to hear of you fighting in school. If this is a battle, do not make it a physical one," Steve warns.

Heather looks down the hall as something catches her attention. Bryce stares at her, then turns into his homeroom. "..If you want me to be honest," she says, "I can't promise you anything." She slams her locker shut and turns to Steve, "See you at three."

They hug, "I may not be able to pick you up."

"I know the way. Bye," Heather turns and finds her homeroom. She sits down after talking briefly with her advisor. A few kids look at her, but no one else seems to care. '..Not as different as last time I see,' she comments.

* * *

Heather hears the final bell ring and she races to the door. She has avoided Bryce all day. Thankfully, they have no classes together because he is a senior here, 'The oldest kid in school, having been held back all this time,' Heather scoffs.

But she is still leary of him finding her. And as much as she would love to pummel him, Steve said she can't show her abilities in school.

"Oh, Heather!"

Heather finds the openings between students in the hall. She measures her steps and slides passed them just as the opening closes between two friends sharing a secret. A box almost falls and she dives under it.

"Heather!"

Bryce sounds farther behind, but Heather keeps her eyes set on the doors. She checks her phone briefly. Steve had a mission. She's walking.

Bursting through the doors, she doesn't hear him calling behind her. So she calms down and walks to the sidewalk. Then a hand grabs her wrist. She's turned around, staring into his dull gray eyes.

"Hi, sweetheart," he says.

"Let me go, leech!" Heather yells.

He clicks his tongue, "Is that anyway to greet an old frie-"

She slaps him with her free hand. But she held back her full strength. Bryce looks back up at her.

"I see you're no longer taking the pacifist route."

"I changed that after you took Kate's dignity," Heather spits.

"But you didn't do anything," Bryce smiles, his head tilted in a smug manner.

"Because we were in court. Speaking of, how was prison?"

He pulls her arm behind him, making their faces even closer, "Dull."

Heather rips her arm away from him and starts to stomp to the street.

"Think you can just walk away from me," Bryce says. Heather starts to run, but Bryce follows, "I haven't even gotten a proper hello-"

Heather is fed up with him. She stops on her toes, turns around and socks him in the cheek. He falls to the pavement. "That's for Katie," Heather says, holding her fist before him.

Bryce looks up at her, "Quinton! Seb! Ryan!" Three boys look away from the girls they were buttering up and set their gaze on Heather. They are part of the same group that was at his truck that morning. They walk over.

"What's wrong Bryce?" one asks.

"This one doesn't understand the rules here," Bryce says, "teach her a lesson."

"Oh yeah..?" the second smirks at Heather, "what kind of lesson?"

Bryce is on his feet and choking his 'friend,' "The kind I'll give you if you speak like that about her again! She is mine! That one," Bryce points at Heather, who is now blocked off by the others, "is mine! Got it Ryan!?"

Ryan nods, "I got it.. man... she's yours.. That chick is yours." Bryce lets him go and he takes deep breaths, holding his neck. The others look at Heather.

"On school grounds?" Heather asks, not even caring to show that she isn't scared of four boys.

"Why not? I owned the last school," Bryce says, "it wouldn't be fair if I didn't own this one." Bryce then steps out of the circle, "Teach her why I make the rules around here."

* * *

Heather walks up the stairs, feeling the dull ache from each hit. The door to the apartment is locked. She takes out her key and opens the door. After a quick look around, she realizes that it is empty, 'Steve isn't home, good.'

The mirror in the bathroom show a couple bruises on her left arm, as well as one on the right. All are black and blue, but already starting to fade. Steve will notice and he'll ask questions.

'I'll just hide them until Wednesday. They'll be gone by then. But Bryce will still be there.' Heather winces as she rotates at her waist. There is a red spot at her side. She didn't expect Seb to have a knife, but she should have. 'That will take longer to heal..' Heather sighs.

She takes her jacket and tank off for a closer look. It isn't deep, but it will need medical attention. It isn't long either, so a only a couple stitches may be needed. Looking at her abdomen, it is peppered with dark patches; more bruising.

Heather sighs, careful to not cause herself more pain. She takes out the small first aid kit under the sink. She sits on the toilet and starts going through the training she learned from Clint. After cleaning it and putting in two stitches, both of which were painful, she then steps into the shower to clean off.

'I should tell Steve. He'd understand, he's been bullied,' Heather figures as she is doused with cold water. She watches pink water run down her leg, '..Only if he asks. He doesn't want to hear about a fight at school.'

She finally steps out and finds a new shirt to wear.

'Not that I could keep that promise anyway,' she adds glumly. She checks for any bruises showing, then throws her ripped and bloodied shirt on the far side of her bed. She'll wash it later.

Heather turns to her computer. She opens it up and starts her research. There must be answers somewhere.

* * *

 **Bryce is territorial, as Ryan finds out.**

 **Note: I am not assuming that anyone named Bryce, Ryan, Seb, and Quinton are not nice people. I'm sure there are very nice people with those names out there (You know, Like _Seb_ astian Stan, and others?)**

 **I really wanted Heather to beat the horse apples out of them. But she needs to keep a low profile.  
It's really really important guys and gals. ...She- (why am I defending my choice? It's not like I'm trying to convince myself! It's not!)**

 **See you tomorrow,**

 **~CtW**


	7. Chapter 06

**Previously on Country Lass: Return...**

 **Heather was in an out-of-school fight and doesn't plan to tell Steve.  
..Also Bryce is back.**

* * *

'Heather's strangely quiet,' Steve notes, watching her from across the table. Heather had made tacos before he got home and they ate silently since. Steve looks up at each bite, hoping to catch something in Heather's movements to give away her thoughts.

Heather keeps her eyes on her plate, even if she can feel Steve's gaze from time to time. Finally, she asks, "How was the mission?"

Steve shakes out of his thoughts and swallows, "Another group of corrupt politicians that was in a hidden part of the Hydra files. We'll probably see it on tv tonight."

"Huh," Heather comments, then takes another bite. Steve had noted that Heather was using her right hand to move her fork, not her left. Steve thinks carefully about how to get her to talk about her first day at school.

"I thought you were wearing a blue tank top today," Steve cringes at what came out of his mouth. Heather looks up at him, confused. "..You don't usually change in the middle of the day," he covers.

Heather looks back at her tacos, "I took a shower when I got back. I had ran ho-" Heather stops herself and restates, "back to the apartment. I wanted to wear something different."

"..But it's a little hot for long sleeves," Steve notes.

Heather closes her eyes, 'Think Heather, think!'

"Heather?"

She looks at his plate, not at his eyes.

Steve says nothing, but then sighs, "Alright." He stands up.

"Where are you going?" Heather asks, immediately interested.

"To do the laundry. We need to start a load if it will get done before nightfall," Steve says casually, already at the hallway.

"I'll do it," Heather says. She starts to stand up, but pain spikes in her side. She doesn't stop though.

"No, I can do it," Steve says, "I know how to work the machine. Just finish your taco, okay?"

Heather sits down, knowing that arguing won't get her anywhere. 'Besides, my shirt is in my room-'

"Heather?"

Heather looks up. Steve walks back into the main room, holding the blue shirt.

He fingers the cut in the side, "Is this blood?"

Heather stares at it. She opens her mouth.

"Don't lie to me," Steve adds, knowing her 'well, actually' look all too well.

Heather sighs, "Yes."

"Is it your blood?"

"..Yes." Heather suddenly feels embarrassed that she didn't tell him sooner.

"You got into a fight at school."

Heather puts the same look back on her face and talks before Steve can, "It was on school property, but it was after the bell, so.. Technically, no."

"A fight is a fight, I don't care where it was." Steve sits across from her, neither of them hungry anymore. He puts his head on his hand, "Heather.." he sighs, sounding like he is older than he looks; it's as if he's said it a hundred times, "bullying is not something you hide. If someone hurts you, however the harm, you need to tell someone."

Now Heather feels even more stupid, 'Thanks conscience. Since when did you get a vacation during this stuff?'

"..Go to the bathroom, I want to take a look at it. And I want to hear what happened," Steve says. Heather slowly stands up and walks away.

She sits on the toilet again and Steve kneels next to her. She lifts up her shirt and he undoes the bandages. After replacing one of the stitches, because Heather's fast movement earlier made it rip, he wraps it back up and eyes the bruises on her stomach.

"Is there anything else?" He asks.

Heather sighs. "One bruise on my right arm, two on my left," she answers.

Steve leans back so he's balancing on the balls of his feet, "Explain."

"It was Bryce and some of his buddies," Heather says, "they blocked me off after school when I wouldn't give Bryce what he wanted."

"And what did he want?"

Heather gives him an incredulous look then gestures to herself, "What else?"

"They beat you up," Steve restates.

"Yes. I did fight back, but not as much as I wanted to. You told me not to show my abilities in public," Heather explains further.

"That doesn't mean you should let yourself get beat up," Steve says.

"You should see my opponents.." Heather mutters.

"What did you do?" Steve questions.

"Oh.. nothing major, a bloody nose.." Steve sighs. "a.. throbbing shin.. and a few _bruises_ -"

Steve looks at Heather. "..Where are the bruises?"

"Chest area," Heather answers. Steve gives her the look one would receive if they haven't dropped all their weapons. ".. _Maybe_ one or two near the groin," Heather adds.

Steve groans, "Ohh, Heather.." falling back on his butt. He places both hands over his face, muttering something to himself. Then he sighs, "I'm.. I'm just glad you're safe. But you need to be careful."

"I was being careful!" Heather yells, standing, "Bryce started it! Bryce won't leave me alone! He.." Heather paces in the hall, "he should be in prison right now! Why is he free, back at school, and terrorizing my life again!"

Steve stands up and watches her from the doorway, "I don't know, Heather."

Heather sighs, "Neither does Jarvis.."

Steve looks up, "What?"

"..I had asked Jarvis to look up his records, but with the program of him on my phone, he couldn't find it. And my computer didn't have any answers because government documents are blocked."

"..I'll call Tony and ask him to look this up. We'll follow up at the Tower this weekend. Just.. try to get through this week, okay? I'll be sure to pick you up everyday. I'll even be there several minutes early."

Heather huffs, 'that will probably make it worse, but..' Heather looks up at him. He's just trying to protect her. He can tell her emotions are skyrocketing because of Bryce's presence. "Okay, goodnight Steve."

"Are you not hungry anymore?" Steve asks.

Heather yawns, "I just want to get some sleep, is that okay?"

"Of course. I'll put your plate in the fridge." Heather turns for her room, holding her side lightly. "..Heather?"

"Yeah?" She says, turning around. Steve places his hands on her shoulders. Leaning down, he gives her a small kiss on her forehead.

"Goodnight." He then turns around and goes to the table. Heather closes her door and carefully changes into her pjs. She crawls in bed and stares at the ceiling.

" _Goodnight, little one."_

" _Goodnight Daddy!"_

Heather feels a tear slip down her cheek. "Daddy.." she whispers, "please, please be okay.." She then slowly curls onto her right side, remembering a time when her dad would tuck her into bed, singing a little song about sailing to a safe place when she's afraid.

* * *

 **A kind gesture from Steve brings back memories from her past, about someone she loves.**

 **'Sail Away' but Go Fish does not belong to me (but look it up. It's a good one.)**

 **Of course Steve found out, right? It's not like Heather was really trying.**

 **See you soon!**

 **~CtW**


	8. Chapter 07

**There may be some subtle triggering things in this chapter. I think..  
You've been warned, just tread carefully.**

* * *

Heather made it through the rest of the week, _barely_. She had Steve drop her off a few minutes before the bell, would use her stealth to make it to each of her classes, and then find some excuse to go to her locker or the bathroom in the last minutes of class to get out the doors just as the bell rang.

She was even fortunate enough to get a mission on Friday, where the office received a call from a 'Mr. Parcel' about Heather needing to come home. Heather took it as an opportunity to vent her frustrations in a positive way. That is.. Using it to take out bad guys.

When they arrived back at the Tower, it was already early morning on Saturday. Steve opted they stay, for training and follow up. Heather changed into a sports bra and sweats and went to the training arena.

Steve finds her, pummeling a dummy ready to burst at the seams. "NOTHING!" Heather screams, "there is nothing on any government database that has any record of Bryce's arrest, time in court, sentence-" she spins kicks the dummy off its base into the wall, "-not even his prison time!" She closes her eyes as a memory resurfaces.

" _Hiya, Heather," Bryce says, sliding up to her locker._

" _Buzz off, creep," Heather spits._

 _He follows her down the hall, asking, "So, how's Kate?" as if he mentioned the weather._

" _I said buzz off," Heather repeats._

" _..She isn't talking to you, is she?"_

 _Heather stops cold at the tone he used._

" _Weird, I thought she'd tell you_ everything _." Bryce has a dark glint in his eye._

 _All the color leaves Heather's face. She remembers when she tried to talk to Kate. She moved over to hug her but Kate screamed, 'No!'_

" _She'd have to at least admit that she liked i-" Heather turns around and slaps him hard._

"Heather-"

"He's supposed to be locked up, Steve!" Heather turns to him. Around her eyes is red, her knuckles bleeding through the tape. But under the tears is burning rage, "How is he still around? I did everything I could and.."

Steve looks at her with new eyes. Heather looks down at her knuckles.

"..He was gone. I helped bring him to justice when others wouldn't. So why.." Heather's fists tighten, "Why is he back?"

"We don't know, Heather. And we'll do what we can-"

"Not without evidence. He's good, scarily so. No one could arrest him because there was no proof."

"You're proof."

"I have words. I don't have a story of my own, only Kate's. And they could write it off as someone that looks like Bryce." Heather sighs, "I can't. I can't Steve." Heather turns away, slowly unwrapping her hands.

"Can't what?" he asks, following.

"I can't go back to school." Steve opens his mouth to argue. "You want me to learn, but with him around, I never will! I'm missing things in class because my highest priority is avoiding him."

Heather tosses the wad of stained white tape to the table nearby and looks back at Steve.

"..There has to be another way," she says.

Steve thinks for a little, then leads Heather with a hand on her back to the chairs along the wall, "Heather," he says as they sit, "I will start looking for a different school. But you need to think about this-"

"I have-"

"-what about the kids at that school? Who will protect them?" Heather stares at Steve. "If you switch schools, we need to stop Bryce from hurting others."

"I tried."

"But you did that alone. You aren't alone anymore."

Heather sighs, "I could try getting a few testimonies. But I don't know these girls like the ones before. They will be harder."

Steve puts a hand on her shoulder, "I know you won't give up."

* * *

Monday arrives and Heather is back to avoiding Bryce more than focusing on her schoolwork. Over the weekend, Steve had her sit down to finish all her schoolwork, which she hands in with everyone else.

But she has a new mission. She keeps out of Bryce's sight, but watches anyone around him. And she spots one girl who was at his side a lot of the time between classes. Heather remembers seeing her the week before as well.

Heather waits until lunch, then scans the cafeteria for her. She sees the blonde sitting alone at an empty table, looking around shyly for something.

'No, some _one_ ,' Heather corrects. She walks over to the girl, "Hi."

The girl looks up, "..Hello."

"You're.." Heather pretends to search for her name. The truth is, she has her in a few classes and pays attention. "..Carla, right? We have biology together?"

"Yes," Carla says, looking back at her own tray. Heather notes there isn't much there.

'Eating disorder maybe?' Heather guesses, 'Bryce was always one to pick at the vulnerable.' Heather lifts her tray up a little, "Mind if I sit here?"

Carla doesn't answer, hoping Heather will go away. But then she sees that Heather really wants to know if she can sit there. She looks around briefly, then shrugs. Heather takes it as a yes and sits with one seat between them.

"..So," Heather says, opening her chip bag, "how long have you been going to this school?"

"..My whole life," Carla answers.

"What's your favorite class?" Heather tries. As Carla decides whether or not to answer, Heather thinks, 'Try to find some way to bring Bryce into the conversation, casually.'

"..Biology," Carla finally says.

"You like science?" Carla nods. "My brother likes science. More on the mechanical side, but.." Heather sighs.

"Is your brother here?" Carla asks.

"No he.." Heather pauses, "he isn't in high school yet. He's still only twelve." Carla cracks a smile.

"I have a six year old sister," she admits, "she's always pulling the tablecloth off the dining room table." Carla looks at Heather, "Do you also have a sister?"

"She has two." Carla freezes up and Heather's eyes go dark. Behind Carla, Bryce saunters over with his small band of brutes. He sits between the girls. Heather wants to move, but that would show he's in control.

"We were talking, Bryce," Heather says, a slight growl in her voice.

"And I was answering the question."

"It wasn't for you-"

"Heather here has a young, sweet sister of ten- uhp!" Bryce says, looking at Heather over his shoulder, "Leslie would be eleven now, right?"

Heather glares at him.

"And she _had_ a 'sister' just under her age, not even a month's difference. But-"

"I'm going to another table. Carla, do you want to come with?" Heather asks.

Carla looks at Bryce. He slips his arm around her shoulders. "..I'll stay here, Heather. But thanks for asking."

"Yeah, thanks Heather," Bryce mocks, "isn't she great? Always looking out for the little people."

Heather turns and starts for an empty table.

"How do you know her, dude?" Seb asks.

"She went to my old school. She's a little different than I remember though."

'You have no idea,' Heather says, still listening.

"What about her so called sister?" Ryan asks.

"She died."

Heather's hands tighten around her tray. 'How dare he talk about Katie so casually.'

Bryce sees Heather is still standing there. "She was interesting though," he adds, watching Heather's responses, "she didn't even fight it. And the sound of my nam..."

Heather's vision slowly goes red. The sounds of the cafeteria are blocked out and she can only hear Bryce.

"She was one of my favorites-"

Something snaps. Heather shoves her tray at the closest person, who almost drops it. She turns on her heel and takes two wide steps. Before she fully realizes what she is doing, her fist is clenched and there is a satisfying crunch.

Heather stares at Bryce. He had fallen on the floor, his hands on his face. Blood pours out of both his nostrils and he is screaming. Ryan, Seb, and two other guys Heather doesn't know stand up from the table. She backs up a little, people giving her room. The four boys circle around her. Bryce is now sitting up, gingerly pinching his nose.

"What are you waiting for?" he says, his broken nose altering his words, "Take her down!"

* * *

 **And she snapped.  
He had it coming.**

 **Bryce, Bryce, Bryce.. you just _had_ to cross the line, didn't you.**

 **Least favorite character, ever? *motions with both hands to Bryce***

 **See you tomorrow! (..I need to start uploading more chapters onto here. Good thing I'm not fresh out yet!)**

 **~CtW**


	9. Chapter 08

**You know.. I was going to wait until tomorrow to post this one.**

 **But... I didn't want to leave you all in a cliffhanger, right?**

 **..I guess I didn't.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Steve parks the truck and sighs. After turning on the 'Grant Parcel' disguise, he steps out and finds his way to the office. Across from such, sits a lone student. He sighs for the third time that day, the first being after he got the call.

Walking over, he takes in her appearance. Heather's hands are wrapped, her cheek has a nasty looking bruise, and there is some white bandage peeking out of a few new slits in her clothes. Heather was staring at the floor, but at the arrival of Steve's shoes in her vision, she looks up slowly.

Steve is about to say something, but then the secretary looks up from her computer, "Mr. Parcel?"

Steve turns to her, "Yes."

"Principal Ulden would like a word with you."

Steve nods and looks at Heather, "We'll talk later."

"He'd like Ms. Morse to come as well," the secretary adds. Heather stands up and follows Steve to the principal's office. She sits down in one of the chairs and doesn't meet either adults' eyes. She sits silently, picking at the top of the bandages on her right hand.

Steve sits down after Mr. Ulden refuses to shake his hand. "Mr. Parcel, you had told me I would not have to deal with any trouble from Ms. Morse," he says, sternly, "so why is it that she was not only in the middle of a cafeteria skirmish, but also the person to start it?"

Steve sighs, attempting to explain, "Heather-"

"After what happened, I should be calling the police."

"That won't be necessary, sir," Steve says.

"Oh? And why not?"

"My only problem is with Bryce," Heather says, leaning back in her chair. She then looks up, "Why am I the only one being punished?"

"You attacked Mr.-"

"But then his friends attacked me! He ordered them too!" Heather sits forward, "After that, I was in a position of self defense."

"Is that why the young men that 'attacked' you have a broken arm," the principal says, looking at a report, "a couple, which would also include your first offense, have a severely broken nose. There are also accounts of black eyes, and multiple bruises from the chest to the knee," Principal Ulden looks up, eyeing Steve, then looks back, "she should be charged with assault, bringing a knife to school-"

"They pulled the knife out!" Heather objects. Steve looks at her. "I.. simply swiped it from them mid fight," she finishes.

"No one saw the knife in their hands," the principal states. Heather shows him her sleeve, with a knife cut patched up by the nurse.

"Check the tape."

"We did. No one saw the knife in anyone's hand but your own."

Heather mutters something along the lines of, "Stupid," and leans back in her chair again, arms loosely crossed.

"..You unprovokedly broke the nose of one of your fellow students, miss. I'd think you are the stupid one."

"He did provoke me," Heather says.

"Bryce is a model student-" at that, Heather burst out laughing. Both adults stare at her, the principal doing so with an incredulous expression.

"Bryce? A model student?" Heather asks, wiping a genuine tear, "he's the king of jerks. Or is he paying you to say that?"

"Watch your tongue, young lady."

"Why haven't you called the police yet?" Steve asks, 'Something isn't right..'

Mr. Ulden leans back comfortably, "I wanted to hear your side of things. If there was anything that.. I needed to hear in her defense." Mr. Ulden gives Steve a look and Steve understands.

"Was there any damage to the building?"

"No, it was only the students. But their medical bills will be extensive."

"..You want us to pay them," Heather says.

"And a.. Extra sum, yes," Mr. Ulden says, "do that, all this goes away."

Steve sighs, looking at Heather. "..Fine, how much?" Mr. Ulden and Steve work it out and Steve plans to have Tony pay for it as an anonymous donor. They shake hands, the principal much happier than when they first came in.

"Heather is suspended until-"

"Actually, sir," Steve says, "You won't have to worry about Heather anymore. She will be changing schools for the foreseeable future."

"Oh. And why is that?"

"..The same reason I had to come here today." Steve holds the door open and Heather walks out. "Your 'model' student." Steve then leaves and finds Heather already in the car with all the belongings that were in her locker.

Steve shuts his door, with a little more force than needed. Heather puts her seatbelt on, but doesn't hear the truck start up. She hears Steve sigh, dissapointment oozing from him.

"Heather-"

"Let's just go home," Heather says.

"No," Steve says, letting his disguise drop, "no, we are talking about this, _now_."

Heather doesn't look up.

"What did he say, Heather?"

Heather scowls, but can't bring herself to speak.

"What did he say?"

"He called her his favorite," Heather says, venom on her lips, "he made sure it was loud enough for me to hear. He has no right to talk about Katie, no right to casually tell people she died when he indirectly caused her murder!"

"She wasn't murdered, Heather."

"But she might have! Because she should have lived longer, but he broke her spirit!" Heather yells, now looking at Steve. "Bryce killed her! And now he's free to do it again, to another girl. And another, and another!"

Steve sees the pain in Heather's face.

"He called her his favorite, Steve. When I first learned of what happened, he said she didn't even try to stop him. And now he's boasting about hurting her, that.." She punches the dash in front of her, creating a dent. Her fist hurts even more, but she doesn't say a peep about it. She just leans back in her chair and sheds a tear through closed eyes. "I want to go away from this.." Heather doesn't finish the sentence, only motions to the school with disgust.

Steve starts the truck and drives them away. They reach the apartment and Heather goes to her room. Steve orders a pizza and then finds Heather unwrapping her hands. Her knuckles have some bruises, but other than that they are fine.

"..I understand I essentially showed my abilities in public," Heather says, her voice quiet. Steve leans against the door frame, listening, "But.. I couldn't think. He said Kate and.." Heather stops her hands and closes her eyes, "I'm sorry I let you down."

Steve sighs, but this time, he sounds more tired than disappointed. "You didn't let me down, Heather." She looks up at him. "..Okay, maybe a little. But I understand." He walks into her room and sits next to her, "I get the same way whenever someone mentions Bucky. It's that gut reaction to protect them."

"Exactly," Heather says, "she's gone, but I'm still protecting her. I thought I didn't have to anymore, but-"

"He's back."

Heather leans back against her headboard and stares at the ceiling, "He's gotta be with Hydra," she says, "I'm.. 99.97% sure."

"..What about the other .03%?" Steve asks.

"Lack of any physical evidence," Heather groans. She looks at Steve, "think about it. I was at the trial, he was sentenced. He was arrested at school. There were people everywhere. He was put in a police car and driven to where he should have lived for the next large portion of his life. How did all of that just disappear and he's back in school like nothing ever happened."

Steve shrugs, "You could be right. But why Bryce?"

Heather thinks, "Have we looked at the Files about him?"

"..No. But that's only for Hydra-" Heather gives him a look. "I'll ask Natasha to look into it. But you are going to a new school as of Thursday."

"Why Thursday?"

"Because that is when they are expecting you. Tomorrow and Wednesday, you are going to be at the Tower practicing control. What happened today is not going to be repeated."

"Understood. When is the pizza getting here?"

* * *

 **..Okay, I guess this is a cliffhanger, too. But it's better than the other one.. I think.**

 **The principal is definitely under Bryce's thumb. 'Model Student'? I actually laughed when I thought of him saying that. Then I put it down.**

 **What do you think Heather's new school will be like? Better? Worse? About the same?**

 ** _Now_ is the time to say goodbye until next time!**

 **~CtW**


	10. Chapter 09

**Heather's new school is not property of MARVEL. ..Because I made it up for this story, like, five days ago. ..About.**

* * *

'Golden Sierra Secondary School,' Heather reads. She's been standing outside her new school, waiting for Steve to come back. They were halfway to the doors when he realized he forgot his legend disguising phone. So Heather went ahead of him and reads the sign over and over, 'Interesting name for a school in a city.'

There is a park across from the school, already with a few kids scrambling around with their parents nearby. Other high schoolers walk into the doors, not many turning as they go to look at her.

Steve then arrives and finds Heather staring at the two story, tan stone building. "Ready?"

Heather looks at him briefly, "..No." She walks forward regardless and tries to ignore Steve's hand as it brushes her shoulder for a moment. The secretary directs them to the principal's office, where they meet Ms. Rachel. She shakes both their hands.

"Nice to finally meet you Heather," she says, "I've heard nothing but good things from your father."

Steve clears his throat as Heather starts to look at him, "She's a very special girl," he adds.

Heather smiles at her principal, 'I'm going to get an explanation later, Steve,' she mentally warns, wishing he could actually hear her.

"Well, Ms. Parcel," Ms. Rachel continues, making Heather perk up at the new last name, "the office will have your schedule, and your locker number. I believe your homeroom teacher is Mister..." she thinks for a little, as if it was important for her to know, "Jessens."

"Thank you, Ms. Rachel," Heather says politely. Steve is asked to stay while Heather gets to class. After stopping by the office for her small packet, Heather finds room 204B, on the second floor. The door is closed, so she stands outside. She looks down both sides of the hall, then knocks.

There is sudden silence on the other side of the door. The handle moves and the door opens to reveal a man with a trimmed gray-white beard and a large belly. "You must be Ms. Heather Parcel," he says. Heather detects the faint oriental accent in his voice, which fits with the other features on his face, "Don't be shy," he says, opening the door wider.

Heather steps in. Mr. Jessens has her stand in front of the class as he introduces her. Then she is directed to a seat near the middle, at a group of four desks with one other girl there. She sits down, then looks around the room. From the artwork and text books, Mr. Jessens seems to be a science teacher.

'Did Stark have a hand in my teachers? Or was this a cruel coincidence?' Heather wonders. She then looks at the other students. Some were working on homework, others had their phones out or talking to friends.

She sighs and opens up the rest of her packet. Her schedule wasn't too different from her last one. She still had Biology, which is also in Mr. Jessens room. There is also Algebra II, English 11, Choir, Phy Ed, Advanced Painting, and thankfully, a study hall. Heather is also happy to have the art class.

'Maybe I'll go a little easier on him about pretending to be my father,' Heather thinks. She looks at her list again and sees that she eats lunch during the second lunch, out of two. She spends the rest of that time memorizing the times, her locker number, and the teacher names.

The bell rings and everyone shuffles to get out the door. "Hey! Ow! Scuuse me!" A body pushes through the crowd and goes to the teacher, "Mr. Jessens? Heather didn't leave yet, did she?"

Heather stops and listens as Mr. Jessens replies with, "No no, young man. She's over there."

Heather turns to see a tall, wiry boy with a peak of brown hair and brown eyes coming toward her. "Heather Russ- No wait," he looks at the paper in his hand, "Heather Parcel," he says, chuckling at his mistake, "My name is Russell. Finn Russell," he offers his hand.

Heather shakes it, "Yeah, I'm Heather.." she says slowly.

Finn doesn't notice, "I'm sorry I wasn't here when you arrived. I got up late, and forgot because of the pretest I've been stressing over. You're lucky you didn't have to take it-"

"Umm.."

Finn looks at her a moment. Then he slaps his forehead when he sees her confused face, "..You don't know why I'm here, do you?"

Heather shakes her head, pulling her backpack over one shoulder.

"I'm your welcome buddy!" he says, opening his arms wide. Heather chuckles a moment. "Or.. that's what I call it. The school says I'm your guide, to help you with anything for the first week or so. They told me, 'Finn, you need to be at the office when Heather gets her schedule and show her around, blah blah blah-' Hey, why are you still laughing?"

Heather points to his forehead, where there is a big pink mark from where he slapped it. He crosses his eyes upward and then chuckles himself.

"That's one way to leave an impression." He looks at the clock, "Shoot, we need to get to class. Follow me-"

"I think I know where to go," Heather says.

"I'll still walk you. It's.. kinda my job." They walk out the door, "See ya Mr. Jessens! So, what's your first class?"

"English 11, Mr. Baelford, room 219A," Heather rattles off.

He looks at her, then realizes she doesn't have any papers out. "..Wow, you do know your schedule," Finn admits, "Well, Mr. Baelford is this way. He's actually a nice teacher.. Unless you fall asleep during notes."

"Have you-"

"Run!" Finn takes off. Heather realizes after a split second he had grabbed her hand. WIthout her fast reflexes, she would have hit the tile, dragging him with. But instead, she sprints after him.

"Why?" She asks, looking behind her. Finn finally comes to a walk again.

"We were running late. Can't have you make a bad impression on your first day," he says, letting go of her hand. Finn walks over to an open door where a few other students are passing through. "Mr. Baelford," he states.

The man in the crisp dark blue suit with a cream shirt underneath looks at the pair, "Mr. Russell. And who is this?"

"This is Heather Parcel," Finn says, "she is your new student."

"And you are her guide for the week?" the teacher asks.

"Yes sir."

The teacher hums, "quite appropriate. Well, Ms. Parcel, please sit in the second seat of the third row of chairs, from the windows."

Heather walks in and eyes the empty seat easily.

"And welcome to English 11," he adds.

"Thank you sir," Heather says. She walks down the correct aisle and sits down. The bell rings just then and class begins.

* * *

 **All new characters are all OCs.**

 **So, what do you think of Finn? And how about her teachers? And the principal?**

 **..And what's with Steve using the 'Dad' card as a cover?**

 **Opinions?**

 **~CtW**


	11. Chapter 10

**And we've hit the double digits! Sweet!**

 **A continuation of Heather's day, because this chapter used to be the second part of Chapter 9. ..It was taking forever to load, though.**

* * *

Heather was greeted by Finn after class, as well after Painting with Mrs. Morens, Choir with Mr. Wecmals, and Phy Ed with Ms. Gerbringer, in that order. When he picks her up then, she says, "Next is lunch?"

"You're right," Finn says.

"Good, 'cause I'm starving." Heather goes to her locker and effortlessly opens it with the combination. On the inside of the door, there is a dry erase board with a black marker. "Does everyone have one of those?"

"Yep. Although, I don't know if everyone uses them," Finn admits.

Heather picks up the marker and writes, 'Needs gym clothes.'

"Yikes," he says. Heather looks at him.

"What?"

"Nothing," he says quickly, "nothing, nothing at all. Don't mind me." Heather gives him a suspicious look. "Cafeteria is this way," he says, starting to walk away. Heather rolls her eyes and closes the door.

They get in line and Finn greets a few people they meet, also introducing Heather. When she gets to the food, Heather makes sure not to take her usual amount. That would be suspicious if she piled her tray high.

But apparently the amount she took was enough for the person behind her to say, "You sure you can finish that?"

Heather groans to herself. "Yes, yes I can," she says, not turning around.

"..Well, I guess I should have known," the voice says again, "a girl like you has got to have a big appetite."

Heather scoffs, 'Another arrogant jerk, why should I be surprised.'

Heather finishes going through the line, then follows Finn to what seems to be his normal table. She sits down and opens her milk.

"Hey Josh," Finn says, noting the arrival of a friend.

"Hey Finn, what's up?"

Heather freezes. It's the same voice as the jerk in the line. Heather turns around.

A tall, buff boy with short brown hair smiles back at her, "Hey," he says.

Heather looks back at her tray, "Hi." He sits down by Finn, which is a little too close to Heather for comfort.

"You're new?"

'Are you blind?' Heather wants to say, but the only thing that comes out is, "Yes."

"What's your schedule?"

"Why would you like to know?" Heather asks, trying to sound more casual than snippy.

"I wonder if we have any classes together," Josh says, "what grade are you in?"

"I'm a junior."

He chuckles, "Same as August. August! Come on, you're holding up the line!" Josh yells, directing his voice to behind Heather.

Heather grimaces a little at the volume, but then hears, "I haven't paid yet!" being yelled back. A tray is set down to Heather's right.

"Josh, who's this?" A voice asks. Heather looks at the girl. She has curly black hair tamed into a wide ponytail down her back. Her skin is dark, which Heather notices isn't uncommon at the school she's attending.

"Don't ask me, I'm not her guide."

"It's 'welcome buddy,' guys, when will they change it?" Finn asks.

"When you stop insisting."

"You think?" Finn asks, but it's sarcastic.

"Probably not."

'Same voice that called back,' Heather mentally notes.

Then there's a yelp that makes her cringe again, "Josh my food!"

"Heather, this is August," Josh says, showing the new face caught in the crook of his arm, "my stiff little brother."

"I'm not stiff," August says, untangling himself.

'Without dropping a single bit of food,' Heather notices. August sits with one seat between Heather and him, right next to his brother.

"And I'm Nikki Dalton," the girl from before introduces.

Heather shakes her hand, "I'm Heather." Nikki nods and picks up her fork to eat her salad. "So.. what grades are you all in?" Heather asks, suddenly realizing she had said something.

"Well," Josh immediately starts, "Nikki and I are both seniors, Finn is a sophomore. And August is a junior, like you."

August doesn't respond, but eats his lunch.

"Okay," Heather says.

"So, Heather, are you from out of state?" Nikki asks.

"..Yes," Heather says, "but this isn't my first school in New York. I transfered."

"Really? From where?" At the mention of her last school's name, the four look up, then turn to Heather.

"Why?" Josh asks.

"..What do you know about it?"

"That no one ever transfers from that school," Nikki says.

"At least not the-" Josh elbows August in the side roughly. August looks up from his food and sees Heather's looking at him. "Sorry."

"No, I get it," Heather says, "not the girls, right?"

The group stares at her.

"..I know the.. Problem that school has."

"Why did you leave?"

"Because I couldn't fix it," Heather says vaguely, "But I gave him something else to remember me by other than the color of my eyes." She ignores the stares she receives.

"So, are you guys coming over tonight?" Nikki asks.

"Yeah!" Finn says.

"We wouldn't miss it for the world," Josh says.

"Hey Heather, want to-" Josh places a hand over Finn's big mouth.

"..What?" Heather asks.

"..Sorry," Josh says, "private group. A club-"

"Of sorts," August finishes.

"..But we'll be at the gym before, want to go there?" Finn asks before Josh can stop him.

"No, I'm already busy," Heather says. 'Busy with training with Steve. He's still not letting me up about the fight.'

"Okay, I get it. New girl, getting used to everything. That's alright. It's what I'm here for," Finn says.

"Watch it, or she'll fall for you," Josh teases. Finn scowls at him.

"I don't think I'm his type," Heather says back, standing.

"You alright?"

Heather stops. She turns around and sees Josh looking at her, concern on his face.

"..Hey, I was only teasing," he says.

"Were you teasing in the line?" Heather asks, then walks away. She puts her empty tray on the stack and goes to her locker. She takes out her backpack and finds her schedule, just to take her mind off the group.

"No, I wasn't," she hears behind her. Heather rolls her eyes and ignores him. "Look, I don't like it when someone's got beef with me, so I'd like to settle this now. What's wrong with what I said in line?"

"..You said 'a girl like you has to have a bit appetite,' right?" Heather asks.

"Yeah, you look like a big girl."

"That's what's wrong with-"

"I meant," he says, putting a hand on her shoulder. Before she can wipe it away, he says, "you look like you work out a lot. See those guns?" He asks, holding up her arm. "Boom! Man, I'd hate to come across you in a tussle. You're strong, and -boy or girl- strong people eat a lot."

Heather looks at him.

"..Am I still in the hole? Because I really would like us to be friends," Josh says.

"..I'll think about it."

Josh smiles, "I'll take that for what it's worth," causing Heather to crack a small smile in return. "..Would it be too forward to ask if you want to play some basketball in the gym?"

Heather looks at him quizzically.

"..The others will be there," he tries. Heather thinks for a little, also noticing his five o'clock-esque shadow on his chin and under his nose.

Heather shrugs, "It's not like I have anything else to do. And my father wants me to make friends."

"See? It works!" Josh says. Heather closes her locker and they walk to the gym not too far away. Heather ponders to herself, with strangely no surprise, at how easily 'father' slipped off her tongue when referring to Steve.

'I.. I didn't even think,' she realizes. Then she looks up and catches the basketball as it heads toward her. She looks at the person who threw it; August. She drops her backpack and walks over, casually dribbling the ball.

"Careful Heather," Nikki says from the sidelines, "those two are on the basketball team."

"Or rather, I am," Josh says, taking the ball from Heather as she tosses it, "he could."

"I'm too busy."

"Uh huh, think fast!" Josh passes the ball to August. He catches it and throws it at the basket. It doesn't touch the rim and there's a swish as it goes through the net. "No rim, no backboard, you gotta try out, bro."

August rolls his eyes and catches the ball as Nikki throws it back. "How about a game of horse?" August decides.

"How about a game of elephant?" Finn asks.

"Where have you been?" Josh wonders aloud.

"Bathroom."

"What about two on two?" Josh asks.

Heather looks at August, "I'll play horse."

"Two votes, any others?" August asks.

"Can I vote?"

Josh looks at Nikki, "I thought you weren't playing?"

"I'm not."

Heather makes a mental note of her answer, but then looks at Finn. "..Alright, sure, horse it is."

"Finn!" Josh complains, but it's half-hearted, "Alright, who's going to start?"

"Ladies first," August says, handing Heather the ball.

She dribbles a little, then picks a spot to shoot. It makes it in.

"Not a bad start, doesn't make you a pro," Josh nods.

"Never said I was one," Heather comments right away, handing the ball to Finn for his turn.

* * *

 **What? Could it be?**

 **Heather has _friends_?**

 **I wonder what Steve has to think.**

 **Also, if you do not know what the game 'HORSE' is, tell me and I will explain it.**

 **And once again I leave you with a cliffhanger of sorts.**

 **See you tomorrow!**

 **~CtW**


	12. Chapter 11

**A new day with new chapters! I hope the story isn't going too slow for you, faithful readers!**

* * *

Heather opens the apartment door and walks into the main room, "Dad, I'm home!" She calls, closing it.

Steve's head shoots up out of the book he was reading.

"Is there a snack in the kitchen Daddy?" Heather asks, putting her backpack against the coffee table. She flips over and lands so her knees bend over the armrest of the couch. She looks at Steve upside down. "No hello hug?" She asks, beaming.

She had been planning her impish revenge the entire walk home. And so far, Steve has gone from shocked to unamused. "You know it would have been more suspicious if I was your guardian. Plus," he turns a page, "people say we look alike."

"Sheesh, I'm just teasing," Heather says, rolling off the couch to all fours. She stands up, "But seriously-" she turns to the kitchen, "-is there like an apple or something I can eat?"

"Help yourself," Steve says over his shoulder.

"Good, 'cause I'm starving," Heather finds an apple and takes a huge bite out of it, "I have gym, and then lunch. And I can't eat the normal ratio of calories if I'm surrounded by people that don't know my identity."

"Heather, swallow," Steve says, distracted.

Heather chews the rest of the apple to mulch, then swallows, " _Now_ you sound like my father."

"How was school?"

"You did it again," Heather says, sitting on the couch again.

"Heather," Steve looks at her, no longer wanting to play her game.

Heather sighs, "It was fine, I guess.." she opens her backpack and starts digging for the right folder.

"Speaking of the people," Steve says, "did you talk to anybody besides your teachers?"

"..Yes," Heather says slowly.

"Anything else?"

"..We played horse for a little at lunch."

"Horse?" Steve says, eyeing Heather.

Heather rolls her eyes, "If you're going to act like my dad, why don't you just adopt me already?" Heather looks at Steve, but his expression doesn't change, "It's a basketball game. I'll explain it later."

"..Oh. How was it?"

"They were nice."

"They?"

"I have a guide.. Or, 'welcome buddy' apparently. I sat with him and a few of his friends at lunch. They talked me into basketball.. and yeah." Heather takes out a little homework.

"How are the teachers?"

"Diverse and decent. Although, the English teacher doesn't seem to like me."

"How so?"

Heather sighs, then shows him her worksheet.

He stares for a little, then says, "It's not that-"

"It's illegible, Steve," Heather says. She stares at her chicken scratch handwriting with like a kicked puppy, "..he asked me to redo it when I handed it in."

"So.. practice. You have extra time now."

"..Yeah, I guess," Heather starts again, writing each letter with great care. "One of the guys actually laughed.."

"What?"

"I was writing something on the whiteboard in my locker and he made a comment behind me. It was about my handwriting, I know it." Heather looks at Steve out of the corner of her eye, "Plus.. I need gym clothes. We should go shopping to-"

"Who laughed at you?"

"He's.." Heather sits up, "he's not.. Bad. Just, it wasn't a good first impression. He's actually a pretty nice guy." Steve still waits for an answer. Heather sighs, "..His name is Finn."

Steve looks at Heather and wraps an arm around her shoulders, "I'm glad you're trying to make friends."

Heather sighs, thinking the same thing, "Thanks Dad."

"..That's not going to go away anytime soon, will it?"

"Not a chance."

* * *

Heather listens to Mr. Jessens talk about the parts of a cell, jotting down anything that she finds important to note. She feels a pair of eyes on her, but tries to ignore it.

"-and this thin line around the cell is called the membrane-"

Heather writes down, 'membrane - Skin of the cell,' just as a pencil pokes her.

"Why is your handwriting so bad?" she hears someone whisper to her left. Heather looks at them from the corner of her eye. It's a girl with black hair braided over her shoulder and a pair of pink bracelets dangling on her wrist. That's all Heather cares to take note of as she looks back at the teacher. "..Were you homeschooled? My dad that homeschoolers have bad handwriting," the girl continues.

"-and the fluid that the parts of the cell float in is-"

"Did you have to have biology in homeschooling?" the girl presses, "because my mom says-"

"I was not homeschooled," Heather whispers back, "and my handwriting is bad because it is, alright? None of your business. Plus, I don't see you writing much." Heather writes down the next sentence, then checks on the girl when she's deathly quiet.

She's staring at Heather with a look of fear in her green eyes. It's then that Heather realizes that she had the hint of a growl in her voice. She looks back at her notebook and tries to block out the look. But she can't help it.

'She looked like-' Heather closes her eyes as the image of Kate comes to the front; full of fear, didn't want to talk to anybody, avoiding Heather at all cost. Heather looks back up and sighs. She missed the last part of notes. She looks at the girl, who is now avoiding eye contact with anyone.

Heather sighs and flips to a new page. She then gets an idea. She carefully writes out the words in clear letters, 'I'm sorry for being mean. I am sensitive about my handwriting. I didn't write a lot in the past years. Please be patient with me. My name is Heather. What's yours?' then quietly rips the page out and folds it into a neat square. She waits for Mr. Jessens to turn his back, then she slips the note to the girl's desk. Heather quickly writes the notes down from the board, not wanting to miss anything else.

She hears paper being opened. Heather thinks she would write back, but nothing happens. She glances at the girl a few times, but then sticks to her schoolwork. Finn arrives just before the bell rings. Everyone stands up to get to their next class.

"My name's Alyse," she hears next to her. She looks up at the girl now standing by her desk. She smiles, "thank you for the note."

Heather smiles back, "No problem."

"..That was really neat, the note. You must be practicing."

"..I just wanted you to be able to read it, that's all."

Alyse then smiles sadly and looks down, "..Actually.. I was hoping you could read it for me."

Heather's smile goes away, "I.. I thought you read it."

Alyse shuffles on her feet, "..Actually.. I can't. See.." Alyse looks around the room, then whispers, "I have dyslexia," in the tiniest voice. Heather's face lights up with recognition, "my parents say that I can get a counselor to help me, you know, someday." She looks behind Heather, "I'd better get to class."

"Wait," Heather says, making Alyse turn around, "if you didn't read the note, then you don't know my name." Alyse's face lights up. "It's Heather." Alyse leaves the room and Finn walks over to Heather.

"That was nice of you. Alyse has trouble with dyslexia."

"And I'm guessing that her parents can't afford someone to help her?" Heather asks.

"..How, how did you know?"

"..I know someone else who had dyslexia," Heather says vaguely.

* * *

Even though Heather knows her classes now, Finn said that he's supposed to guide her for a week in case she has any other questions. "Are there any tutors in school?" Heather asks.

"Yeah, there's a few. Most are seniors and juniors. Why? Do you think you need one?" Finn asks.

"Well, no. But I think that maybe.." Heather has been thinking of Alyse the rest of the day, "maybe I'll ask Alyse if she wants help with her reading. Like I said, I know about dyslexia."

"I think she'd like that, Heather," Josh says behind her. Heather jumps and nearly punches him in the face, but then she remembers.

'I'm in school, he's not a threat, and I'm trying to actually make friends.' She lowers her arm and no one's the wiser. "Hi Josh. Which class are you off to?"

"Study hall, you?"

Heather blinks, "S-Same." Josh laughs for a moment. 'How did I not notice him in my class?'

"I think I can take it from here, Finn. Mr. Quartz won't be too happy you are late again." Finn gives him a mock salute, then races off to class.

"..Did you transfer classes?"

"Nope. But I do sit in the far corner. That's probably why you didn't see me," he says.

"..Oh."

He motions down the hall, "Shall we?" They walk towards the library doors and Heather finds her typical seat. But instead of going to the corner like usual, Josh takes a spot at Heather's table. "Speaking of tutors, do you need one?"

"I think it is too early to tell if I need a tutor, Josh," Heather says, strangely amused by his question.

"I don't know, maybe it would be less of a classes thing and more of a practice thing."

Heather looks at him, curious to what he means. He looks at the paper she took out of her bag.

"..Finn wasn't kidding," he comments.

Heather looks down, then rolls her eyes, "It's not that-"

Josh takes his turn to give her a look.

"-bad for the situation I've been in."

"..What is your situation?"

Heather looks at her paper, huffing, "None of your business."

"Alright, I was just wondering if you wanted-"

"I don't need a tutor, Josh! I'm not helpless." She starts working on the next unfinished problem for Algebra II, hoping to block him out.

"..I'm sorry, okay? I was just trying to help." Josh puts his face in his hands, "What am I doing wrong?" he asks himself, but Heather hears it. She sighs, then puts her pencil down.

"..Hey." Josh looks up at her. Heather forgets what she was going to say, "..you should get some homework done, okay?"

Josh gives her a weird look, then scoffs to himself and leans down to his backpack. Heather slaps herself mentally for not saying what she wanted to say, but then again, she's not good with social situations.

Josh mutters something to himself, but since he's leaning away from Heather, with his head almost under the table, she doesn't catch it. She thinks to send him a note, but then decides against it. She digs into her bag and procures a set of headphones. She plugs them into her phone and chooses a song. Then she starts back on her homework.

As the next song plays, she looks over at Josh. He's hard at work, almost as if nothing had happened between them. Heather looks at the page in the middle of the table that he slid there. It's a finished piece of homework. She sees his handwriting, which could pass as calligraphy if it wasn't so obviously manuscript. 'No wonder he asked,' Heather muses, 'he must like writing.'

She thinks to ask him something, but then he gets up. Heather can only hear her music, but she sees him go to the teacher, and pick up the bathroom pass.

'Another day,' Heather thinks, turning back around before he sees her.

* * *

 **A little sassiness from Heather at the beginning, and seriousness at the end.**

 **I figured, 'Hey, if Heather can't read/write before the serum how bad would her handwriting be? Probably very bad.'**

 **And Josh's handwriting is** **gorgeous! But more on that later.**

 **1/2 of today's upload is done,**

 **~CtW**


	13. Chapter 12

**And of course, there is a character I haven't mentioned yet who is also important.**

* * *

Heather was asked the next day, by Nikki and Finn, if she wanted to hang out at the park after school. Heather was hesitant about it, because there might be a mission and she still doesn't know these people that well. But then Josh says he will be there, as well as drag his brother along before he starts for the house.

That settled it for Heather. She was looking for a chance to talk to him, but in study hall he stuck to his corner again and lunch he always talked to his friends. Maybe she'll get a chance now. Something makes her want to be open with him.

'But not too open,' Heather reminds herself. No matter how much she may end up trusting this bunch, they can never know her secret. That would put them in danger.

She and Finn meet up at her locker, where she erases a few messages and closes the door. "So, it's the last day as your welcome buddy. Think you can manage without me?" Finn asks.

"I think I'll be fine. Besides, I can see you in the halls, and at lunch, right?"

"True.. Hey guys!" Finn waves as they exit the school. The whole group was going the the park together. Heather excuses herself to call her 'dad' and tell him where she will be. Steve thinks it is a great idea and lets her go, on the condition that she will be back at the apartment for supper.

Heather hangs up and walks back to the group, only to see a new face. "Hi," she says.

The grinning girl with hair that reminds Heather of Ms. Potts waves, "Hi, you must be Heather, the new girl."

"I'm not that new," Heather brushes off.

The girl laughs, "I mean new to the group. Our group."

"Whoa, slow down there, Jacey," August says, "no one said she was part of the group. We're simply.." he looks at the others.

"Friends," Nikki suggests.

"Yes friends," Josh adds.

"Doesn't mean she's part of the group," Nikki assures, "..no offense, Heather."

"That's alright. You don't know me, I don't know you. It makes sense," Heather waves off. But a small pit in her stomach empties and she feels as if someone stretched the sides. "So, what park are we going to? Or is it just that one?" She points to the one across the street.

"Dead give away. Who said you weren't smart?" Finn asks.

They walk over, waiting for the light to give them the signal. "So, you're Jacey," Heather asks.

"Yep. I'm a sophomore, like Finn."

"I haven't seen you at lunch," Heather points out.

"I eat during first lunch," Jacey states, "the only reason Finn is in second lunch is because he's in a senior class."

"Oh?" Heather asks as they start across the street.

"Yeah, he's pretty smart when it comes to art. He has taken almost every class."

"Including Advanced Painting?"

"That was last year," Finn says in front of them, "and that teacher loves me, fyi."

"Only because you drew her portrait," Jacey comments back, "Mrs. Morens could do without your 'artistic comments.'" Finn continues to argue with her, until they sit down at a bench.

"Okay, you two, enough," August says. The pair stop talking. Heather watches the group for a moment, amazed at how they listened to August like that.

'Aren't Nikki and Josh the seniors? If anyone would be in charge-' Then she remembers what she wanted to ask, "So, Finn, you like art?"

"Oh, I love art," Finn says. He takes out a notebook and opens it to show Heather.

"Whoa!" She exclaims, "now that is awesome!" She thinks for a little, "you know Finn, I'm a bit of an artist myself."

"No!" he says, like he doesn't believe it.

"Well.. It's two fold. I'm a _doodler_ in that sense. I've been told my sketches are good, but not that good, wow!" Heather says, marvelling at the designs on the non-lined page.

"..What's the other part of it?"

Heather looks at August, who is watching her.

"..I love music," Heather says.

"Why aren't you in band?" August asks.

Heather stares at him, "Why do you think I'm not?"

Josh nudges August, but the younger brother evades him before he can put him in another headlock. "I play an instrument."

"What instrument?" Heather asks.

"The drums," August answers, "What about you?"

"..I tend to use my voice, but sometimes I pair it with a guitar," Heather tells him smoothly. "So, what are other interests in your group?"

"I'm planning on being a science major when I graduate," Nikki admits.

"She can name the entire periodic table," Jacey admits.

"I cannot!" Nikki says, as if she has to remind Jacey to stop telling people stuff about her.

"Fine! Half. Half the table she has memorized," Jacey relents.

"Jacey is a bit of a science nut as well," Finn mentions.

"Chem, no. Physics, uh uh, biology?" Jacey swoons, "I'm in love..! I love animals and plants and how they are all so similar, yet so different."

"Unfortunately-"

"I can't be in biology until next year," she pouts, resting her cheek on her hand, which is propped up by her elbow. Nikki pats her back a little. "But I am looking at a job at the zoo. They have the most adorable penguins!" Jacey says, her gray eyes shining.

"Maybe we could go sometime," Heather says.

"You like animals too?" Jacey asks. Heather could swear Jacey's eyes almost looked like they came out of an anime, big and childish.

"..I mean," Heather coughs, "I did live on a farm for a while."

"Really! What kind of animals?" Jacey asks.

"Jacey calm down," August says, rolling his eyes, "I'm sure she doesn't want to-"

"For your information, August," Heather says, "I happen to love that farm. It is the only place I've truly ever called my home, so I will gladly gush over it to Jacey."

"He's just stressed because he hates-"

"I don't hate, animals, it's just.." August sighs, "I have a phobia, okay. Everyone has one."

"You are afraid of animals?" Heather asks. August gives her a glare.

"Only ones with teeth," Josh teases.

"Josh!" August sounds betrayed.

"Anyway," Heather turns to Jacey, "we have a few cows for milk, there's chickens, a rooster.."

"Uh huh, uh huh," Jacey says, nodding at each animal.

"And we have a golden retriever named Sammy-"

"Ohh!" Jacey squeals, "he sounds cute~!"

"He is. But my favorites, are the horses."

Jacey looks like she just found the most precious thing in the world, "Horses?"

Heather nods.

"As in.." Jacey makes a galloping action, " _horses_?"

"Yeah.." Heather says, looking at Jacey a little strange.

Jacey sighs, "We have to go to your farm sometime."

"No. No we don't," August states.

"Well no one asked you," Jacey says, "you can stay in the stuffy city for all I care. ..You wouldn't leave if your life depended on it."

Silence takes the air and a few of the group find something to do, either homework or a new sketch. Josh looks up to see Heather working hard at the outline of an english essay. He sighs and stands up, "Anyone want some ice cream?"

There's a few murmurs from the group, which are either, 'No thanks,' or a respective flavor. Heather doesn't say anything.

"Heather?"

She looks up, "Uhh.." She sees a look on Josh's face again. One that bothers her for some reason. "..I'll go with you. More hands," she says.

She stands up when he doesn't protest and he leads the way to the nearest ice cream shop.

"..You're writing is really good," Heather comments. Josh looks at her. "Well, I mean your handwriting. I haven't actually read your writing before," she says quickly.

"Thanks. ..I'm sorry for pressing you about practicing."

"You're forgiven. ..But can I ask-" she says, stepping in front of him a moment, "-how did you learn to write like that?"

"..My ma-" Heather's brow goes up, "my legal guardian taught me. I practiced hours each day, ever since I was a little boy. So.. yeah," he jumps onto a big rock by the path, balancing for a moment before coming back down, "it's just second nature now."

"Do you always write like that?"

"No.. I use full calligraphy when I want to impress somebody," he says smugly.

Heather rolls her eyes. She looks at the sky above them, a few trees brushing the clear blue in the wind. "..I couldn't have done that."

"Anyone could, it just takes practice," Josh states.

"No, I mean.. I had dyslexia, when I was younger," Heather admits. Josh stops, putting an arm on her sleeve.

"That's why-"

"It looks like a chicken walked through ink then ran across my homework?" Heather asks, actually giggling a little, "yeah. No one could figure out how to help me. I was stuck with bad reading skills because all the letters were mixed up."

"That's why you are thinking of helping Alyse," Josh realizes.

"Actually, I've already asked her. She's coming over tomorrow after school to talk for a little," Heather says, a little pride in her voice. Steve was encouraging the fact that she wants to be a positive influence on her peers. "But.. I think I could use a little help too."

Josh looks at her as they start walking again.

"..Could we meet up sometime?" Heather asks hesitantly.

"..Sure. Where did you have in mind?" Josh asks.

Heather freezes up at the question. "How about just at the park for now," Heather decides.

"I'm down for that. There are beautiful days up ahead," Josh states, looking around. "So.. what is your favorite ice cream?"

* * *

 **We've learned a little more about each of the new people, and now you've met Jacey! (aka, it is not pronounced 'Jackie' like how a realistic reading software thinks.)**

 **Who are you the most like? Or (if you don't want to tell strangers about you) who would you like to hang out with?  
Anyone wondering about August's interests? You can see that he didn't give a lot about himself like the others did.**

 **That's all (for today) folks!**

 **~CtW**


	14. Chapter 13

**Next chapter, more at the park.**

* * *

Heather and Josh came back with the treats and handed one to everybody but August and Nikki. Heather sits at her spot and takes the last spoonfuls of ice cream out of her paper bowl before going to throw it away in a trash bin.

"What a coincidence," a chilling voice says slowly. Heather turns around and sees Bryce. He steps forward slowly, almost stalking her.

Heather starts to chuckle to herself.

"..What?"

"You're nose is squished to one side," Heather points out, "I guess you can't get many girls with that, can you?" Bryce pins her to the tree behind her.

"You did that to me!" he yells, "and now all my friends are in the hospital because of you!"

"They attacked me," Heather says, "on your orders. Now let me go!"

"Not likely. You took something from me, how about I take something from you?"

"Hey, buster!" Bryce looks over his shoulder. Finn winces at the bright red nose and bandages over his face. There's also traces of black and blue around Bryce's eyes. "Leave the nice girl alone."

"Buzz off!" Bryce says.

Josh sighs, then looks at August. They stand up. "I'd listen to him. You see," they walk around the table, "that right there is our friend and you are assaulting her."

"I'll call the police," Jacey says, taking out her phone.

"Let her go," Josh says, his tone changing to seriousness.

"No," Bryce says, one of his hands moving from Heather's shoulder to her neck.

Heather puts her hand on his wrist, ready to push him away and press her shoe into his back. 'I can make him eat the dirt in that position,' she tells herself. Bryce lets go of her other shoulder and poises for a punch to her face.

Before Heather makes a move, Bryce yelps as he dragged away from her. Heather is forced to follow, until a hand comes down on Bryce's arm and breaks the grip on her neck. Two arms catch her. "Got you," Josh says above her. Heather looks up to see August pinning Bryce with his foot on his back and one arm taut in the air while the other is pinned under his stomach.

"..Thanks," Heather says, standing up, "but I had it under control."

"We saw that," August says, not turning to acknowledge her.

"I knew what I was doing," Heather restates.

"Uh huh," August says, just going with it. Josh walks over to him and helps him haul Bryce up.

"I gave him that nose job," Heather reveals. Josh looks at Bryce's face, then back at Heather.

"Like I said, strong girl," he comments.

"It looks sloppy," August critiques.

"Some friends you've met, Heather!" Bryce yells, but no one listens to him.

"He provoked me, so I acted," Heather tells August.

"So you let your feelings get the better of you," August mocks, "like I said, sloppy."

"Is that why you left your other school, Heather?" Nikki asks, "because you hit him?"

Heather looks at Bryce and lets all her malice towards him show, "He is the reason I hate going to school." Bryce only smiles and winks at her. "Are the police coming?"

Jacey hangs up, "They'll be here in a few minutes." Heather nods then sits down.

"..What? You're finally getting help from others? And from boys no less," Bryce taunts.

"Someone shut him up, please," Heather says, trying to ignore him.

"Now you don't want to do your own dirty work," Bryce mocks, "poor, poor, Dysley. Afraid you're going to break me?"

Heather stands up and runs over to him. "Either hold me back, or hold him still," she tells the others, her temper going nuclear.

"Don't give him the satisfaction," August says.

Heather's fist is already curled to strike, but then she lowers it, "You're right," she says to August, without taking her gaze from Bryce, "he's not worth the ache after."

Heather turns away right as Bryce says, "What if I told you Kate thought I was worth it-?" His nose caves in, and it sprouts new rivers of blood. He wails and Heather doesn't make eye contact with anyone. She squats next to her bag and packs anything she took out.

"I have to go. Dad will be waiting for me," Heather says quickly, "you can wait for the police, right?"

"Shouldn't you be here?" Jacey asks, looking at Heather's blood speckled hand.

Heather looks at it too, "Do you think I can handle it?" No one in the group moves, except Bryce who is still howling in pain. Heather then shoulders her backpack and takes a napkin. She wipes off any remaining blood and throws it away on her path to the sidewalk. After she turns the corner, she hears police cars pass her.

* * *

Steve was not happy with Heather, but he was glad she told him what happened. Her knuckles had a little bruising on them, so she kept her woven gloves on the next day for school. Heather avoided the group, even when she found out Nikki sits a few rows above her in choir.

But she knew it was unavoidable once lunch came around. They were the only people she ever sat with; the only people she knew. So at lunch, she watched the tables fill up as she passed through the line. She reached the end and found no table would be empty. She had to either sit with strangers on an off day, or sit with people that saw her dark side.

'Dark side it is,' Heather says. She walks over to the table and sits with two seats on either side of her. Unfortunately, Josh came after her in the line, so he sat to her left. No one said anything, but Heather got glances throughout lunch from every person, except August.

"..How's your hand?" Josh is the first to ask.

Heather doesn't react, but then she mutters, "Fine."

"You know that wasn't self defense right?" August asks.

"Yes, I know."

"You're emotions got the better of you again," he adds.

"Yes, I noticed," Heather continues, "but it only ever happens with him. He's the.. The worst person you can ever meet."

There's silence again, before Finn asks, "Heather?"

He waits for her to look up at him because she isn't answering.

"..Who's.. Who's Kate?"

Heather's eyes glaze over and she looks back at her food, only to find she had finished all of it in the silence. "..She was the only friend I had at the first school Bryce and I were at together."

"You mean-?"

"The school where I punched him isn't the first school he's terrorized," Heather says darkly. But she keeps her voice down. "Kate was my.. My best friend. And he hurt her when she was already vulnerable. Along with a lot of other girls." Heather looks up at them, "He's a monster."

Heather clears her throat and pushes a small piece of a carrot around one divot of her tray.

"What happened after I left?"

"The police showed up, Bryce was given a substance test and it was found that he was intoxicated," Nikki relays, "he was also arrested for assault, but since you weren't there as the person he assaulted.."

"It's likely he won't be locked away for as long as you'd like," Josh says.

Heather nods numbly. The group goes quiet again. "..Thanks," she looks up at Josh and August, "for helping, really. I did have a handle on it-"

"Did not."

"-but I appreciate someone standing up for me. I haven't had that since.."

"Kate?" Finn asks. Heather nods.

"Since Kate."

"Heather?" She looks at Nikki. "Jacey and I are going to have a sleepover tonight, at her house. Want to come?"

Heather remembers the sleepovers she had with Kate. These girls want to be her friend, which makes Heather feel warm inside, but then she remembers something.

She isn't the little girl who would rush to get stuff ready and call Kate before Kate can call her. She can't stay up until her mother tells her to go to sleep, then wake up refreshed in the morning, without a care.

She's gone through too much to still be that girl.

"..No thanks," Heather says, "I told Alyse that I'd help her with her reading, and.." The true second reason is, 'I can't sleep without nightmares and I need Steve to be there to calm me down.' But they can never know who she is, "I don't think my dad will let me go on a sleepover. Sorry."

"Oh. Okay." Nikki is completely okay with it, but Heather also feels guilty for lying to her.

'How will friendships work like this if I can't tell them everything?' Heather wonders.

"Want to go to the basketball hoop?" Josh asks everybody. Heather joins in the chorus of yes'.

* * *

Heather barely hears the doorbell go off as she strums the guitar, practicing a new song. "Heather! A friend of yours is here," Steve calls.

"Coming!" Heather puts the instrument down, then goes to greet Alyse, who has her backpack and everything, "Hi Alyse."

"Hi Heather. I'm.. I'm not sure how you can help me," she admits.

"Well, this is to see, right?" They sit at the table and Heather thinks about the first question, "Alyse, what is something that you like to do?"

"..Is this to help me?"

"Yes. Here, I'll explain," Heather says, "when someone has dyslexia, it's because it is hard to tell the difference between some letters, right?"

"Right."

"So, you need a way to remember the differences," Heather adds, "and to do that, you need to know what takes your attention best. For me, I love music. Some people like art, or science. Some are builders and like to use their hands."

"..I like woodworking," Alyse says. Heather listens. "..Mrs. Edleisioer commends me on my wood projects all the time," Alyse adds.

"..I think I know what could work. But.. again, I'm no professional, so.."

"I want to try it," Alyse says.

Heather smiles, "Okay. Dad?" Steve looks up, "Alyse and I are going to the craft store."

"Need me to drive?"

"No. It's down the street, right?" Heather says, standing up.

Alyse follows her and they are at the store in no time. Heather came here once or twice because of a school project. She looks through the aisles, then exclaims when she finds what she's looking for. There are packets of wooden letters, both uppercase and lowercase. There are also individual ones for those that know what letters they need.

Heather picks up two letters, "Alyse, what letter is this?"

"That's a.. b," Alyse says.

"Good. Now, what is this?" Heather asks, showing her the other one.

"..A..nother b?" Alyse guesses. Heather first hands her the 'b,' letting her feel it's shape and then hands her the second letter. "No, not a b- a d!" She decides, "the bar code would be on the other side if it was a b!"

"Do you think these can help you?" Heather asks, "if you work with your hands, maybe by forming the words with 3D letters can help you practice reading."

Alyse looks excited as she peeks at the other letters. "Let's do it."

* * *

 **The group finally meets Bryce. And they see Heathers 'dark side' as Tony would say.  
But they still want to be her friends!**

 **I am like Heather, I am not a professional when it comes to dyslexia. So this may not be accurate.**

 **Do you have a favorite quote so far in this story?**

 **Here's mine from this chapter- "Hold me back or hold him down" -Heather  
I did not think she'd ever say that. But since she has, it's more of an impulse thing. That is how she feels whenever she's around Bryce.**

 **One more for today,**

 **~CtW**


	15. Chapter 14

**I do not own the Beauty and the Beast song at the beginning of this (it's not really a spoiler if it's the first line of the chapter.)**

* * *

"How does a moment last forever~?" Heather sings, "How does a spirit never die~?"

She hears a knock on the door, "Heather?"

"Yeah?" Heather asks, placing a pause on the headset on her ear.

"Oh," Steve realizes when he peeks in, "are you recording?"

"Yeah, so?"

"I was just wondering if you want to invite any of your friends over?" Steve asks, "Alyse was nice, maybe this time it can be the group you talk about some."

"Why?"

"..Maybe.." Steve doesn't finish.

"Ohhh.. you want to meet them," Heather says. She sighs, "Alright _Daddy_ , I'll find a way to bring it up."

"Thanks pumpkin," Steve says with a smirk. Heather scowls. He's thought of his own comeback for that. She is about to press the play button again. "Heather?" Steve waits for her to look up. "Are you just covering up the pain of your own father..?" Heather's head drops slowly. "You know that isn't healthy."

"You aren't doing anything healthy either."

"..What do you mean?" Heather looks at him.

She presses a button on the headset, "I'll restart the song later, Jarvis."

"Delete the recording?" Jarvis asks.

"Yes please," she says, standing up, "Well, Steve, you may not see it, but I can." Heather looks around the kitchen, living room, and even goes back down the hall to peek into the bathroom.

"What?" Steve asks.

"You aren't taking care of yourself, are you?" Heather asks.

"I am, look around," Steve says, "there's-"

"We aren't at war, Steve," Heather says firmly. Steve looks at her, like a deer in the headlights. Heather sighs, "You can loosen up a little."

"You think I haven't?" Steve asks.

"Okay.. When I'm at school, what do you do?" Heather asks.

Steve is about to answer, but then stops himself. "..I've.. I've been reading."

"Yeah, the same book ever since my first day of school. Sometimes the same page," Heather points out. Steve's hope for her to buy the excuse drops. "That's right, I noticed. So, Steve, what have you done since I go to school?"

Steve doesn't meet her eyes.

"Training? Going to the gym?"

"I've gone grocery shopping," Steve brings up.

"The necessities," Heather says, going back to the kitchen.

"It's what I'm used to," Steve says.

"Yes, and I'm used to getting up at the crack of dawn and scooping horse poop," Heather says, "and now I'm in a city, going to a city school, with people that actually care about me waiting there." She puts her hands on his shoulders, "we are both adjusting. You want me to live a normal life, as much as I can with the missions and training we have. But you should have that normal life too."

"..I don't think I can, Heather," Steve says, turning around, "I think.. You are the closest I'll get to having a child."

Heather watches him sit on the couch. She walks over and flips so she's upside down over the back of the couch. She looks up at him. "Well then, I guess it's my job to show you just how normal you can be," she says grinning.

Steve scoffs, but it sounds more like a laugh to Heather.

"We take care of each other. I'm not helpless, you know."

"What do you suggest I do while you're gone?" Steve asks.

"How about actually finishing that book? I hear it's a good one. And I'm going grocery shopping with you next time."

"..When will you invite your friends over?"

"Don't change the subject."

* * *

Just as fate would have it, the next Monday was plagued with rain. The group was going to go to the park, but since it was still raining by the time the last bell rang, it didn't seem like they could meet up that day.

"Or we could go to my home," Heather suggests. Everyone looks at her. "Well, it's more of an apartment. There's a lot of space, and my dad said he's okay with people coming over."

Finn nods, eager to go. Jacey agrees as well. Nikki wants to, but then August puts a hand on her shoulder. "Actually, Nikki and I can't make it this time. Sorry Heather."

"Oh? Why not?"

"Yeah, bro," Josh asks, "why not?"

"She needs to help me with my chemistry," August answers, daring his brother to say more.

"She can help you at my house," Heather states.

"..It's more of a private tutoring," August says, now eyeing Heather.

Heather looks from Nikki to August, "Ohh.. sorry. By all means. I'd rather have you not come if it's a.. _private_ , tutoring."

"Heather," Nikki says, stepping forward, "that's not what-"

"No no, you don't have to explain it. Whoever wants to come, you can." Heather turns around and starts for the apartment. Finn and Jacey follow her.

Josh looks at August, "I'm guessing she won't be the one tutoring?" he asks in a whisper.

"This is important and you know it Josh," August whispers back. Josh shakes his head in something to resemble disappointment and jogs to catch up with the other group. August takes out his umbrella. "Let's get back, Nikki."

* * *

Bryce leans against the cold cement of the jail cell wall, listening to another person whistling a random tune. He grumbles to himself, a melted ice pack next to him on the bench.

Something sounding like a sack of grain hitting the wall. Bryce stands up and looks out the bars of his cell. The whistler abruptly stops, "What's going-"

"Sh!" Bryce says, watching the door.

There are more sacks that fall, then the key jingles in the door. It opens and a couple men in all black kevlar walk in. The second jailed person starts to express his joy of being saved, until one of the men raises his gun and shoots him. Bryce doesn't flinch as the body falls to the floor.

"Thanks," he says calmly, "He was annoying."

"Shut up, boy," the other man says, "you have a call."

"Finally," Bryce is handed a phone through the bars. "Hey uncle-"

"I believe you have been mistaken," a voice breaks through.

"..Who are you?"

"You will soon find out. But I know who you are, Bryce. And I believe you can help me."

* * *

"Okay, try again," Josh encourages. Heather rolls her eyes and then rewrites the sentence he wrote out. Thankfully, he wrote it in normal manuscript, not his curly flowing calligraphy writing. Heather focuses on how she makes each letter, then shows him.

"Better?" She asks.

"It's one thing to write well in practice, but if it doesn't carry over to habit," Josh says, "it will mean nothing."

"I'll work on my actual homework now." Heather shifts the papers in front of her and starts on Algebra II. Jacey and Finn are on the other side of the table, conversing about some subject or other.

"..They aren't together."

"Yeah, I can see that."

"No," Josh says, putting his pencil down, "I mean August and Nikki." Heather doesn't look at him. "It was something for the club," he admits.

"Secret club stuff I don't know about," Heather restates, "got it."

"I'm serious."

"Yeah yeah, whatever floats your boat, Josh. I need to work on this," Heather says, trying to cover up how she still doesn't believe him. 'Just another group I'm with, but not apart of,' she tells herself.

The door opens and Steve walks through. Heather smoothly falls into the 'daughter' role.

"Hey Dad, welcome home."

"Who are your friends?" he asks, setting the groceries on the counter before walking to the table.

Josh stands up and offers his hand, "Joshua Evert, sir."

"Joshua, nice to meet you," Steve says, shaking his hand. Heather breathes a small sigh of relief when she realizes that Steve's disguise is still up.

Finn mimics Josh, "Finn Russell."

"Finn," Steve greets. Jacey doesn't stand up but nods to Steve.

"I'm Jacey Sallow."

"It's a pleasure to meet you all. ..Is this everyone?"

"No sir," Josh answers, "my brother August, and our other friend Nikki couldn't make it today."

"They had more private matters to deal with," Heather comments casually. Steve can tell that it's bothering her a little. But one look from her says it's something she won't stress about.

"Anybody want a snack? I just bought some apples, carrots, I think there's some yogurt in the fridge."

"I call the carrots," Heather says, scrambling from her seat and finding the bag. She opens it up as a couple other friends trickle in to find something. Heather pours some into a bowl, only to see Josh staring at her with amusement on his face. "What?" she asks, a carrot in her mouth, "I like carrots. Is that so wrong?"

Josh chuckles to himself, "No, nothing wrong with that."

Heather looks at him, trying to see if he's making fun of her. But when Josh looks back, she sees mirth and companionship. She smiles, chuckling briefly herself before biting into another carrot and getting back to her homework.

'Perhaps.. Perhaps making friends won't be so hard,' she tells herself, also stealing glances at the two across the table. She looks at Steve, and he smiles at her. She smiles back.

* * *

 **Heather calls out Steve's behavior. More questions arise about the group, BRYCE IS FREE! *mutters about why I did that*, and Steve meets about half the group.**

 **Why is Heather so.. bothered? Thoughts?**

 **And what do you think August and Nikki are really doing?**

 **I'm afraid I may not be able to upload chapters this weekend. My family is going camping (of sorts..) and there may not be any wifi.**

 **So see you when I can upload next!**

 **~CtW**


	16. Chapter 15

**I'm back! The weekend was fun, but now it's time to get chapters up, right?**

 **So, Heather had her friends over and Bryce had a snippet in the last chapter.**

 **Ready to see what happens next?**

* * *

After Heather's friends left, Steve got a call from the Tower. He hangs up and looks at Heather. "What's wrong?"

"There was a Hydra sighting, at a New York precinct," Steve answers, letting his disguise drop. "The police on duty were all knocked out with gas and the guards to the cells were killed, as well as one of the people in the cell."

"Who was he?" Heather asks.

"He's not the important one," Steve says, "there is one person missing."

He lets Heather put two and two together, "Bryce." Steve nods. "Has anyone looked up his connection to Hydra?"

"Natasha's on it right now. We're going to the Tower."

* * *

The only person on the computer when Heather and Steve enter the Tower is Natasha. Everyone else finds a place to sit or stand in the mission room, watching her scan through the Files as the screen is projected onto the big mission debriefing board at the front of the room.

Heather sits down, trying to find something to distract her from the fact that Bryce is now on the loose again and definitely has a connection to Hydra.

"Got something," Natasha says. She brings it up on the screen, then freezes it so she can search for more. "I'll go more in depth. There are a few files that haven't been decrypted yet."

Heather stands up and walks to the front of the room to get a better view of the new information. Steve stands behind her, reading as well. "Bryce's real name is Bryce _Rumlow_?"

"You mean the guy with the burned face that we fought a few times?" Heather asks.

"That's his.. Uncle, apparently," Steve explains, seeing that the file Natasha brought up was Brock's personal file, with known family members in one of the last slots.

"I did not like that guy," Sam states, "he wouldn't shut up."

"Got some more," Natasha interrupts. She changes the screen to show a list of candidates for a Hydra youth program. The very idea makes Heather nauseous. Bryce is number four on the list. "Apparently only the top three were admitted into the Hydra forces."

"But Bryce had to have stayed in touch," Heather points out, "his breakout is proof of it."

"What about the other kids?" Steve asks, thinking of the big picture.

"..Doesn't say. But Bryce left the academy he was trained but the reasons are unknown," Natasha answers.

"..Maybe they are getting payback, he might have made them mad because of it."

"..No, this was almost ten years ago. If they wanted him dead, or worse-"

"They could have done it at his trial," Heather finishes, "but instead it was erased and he was set free. But how..?"

"And why now?" Steve adds. Heather looks at the mug shot of Bryce, what he would have looked like ten years ago.

'He's only nine,' she tells herself. But that's all the pity Bryce will get from her. All he's done afterwards, he chose to do. Nothing in Hydra would make what he did to Kate a mission. 'He's a monster that Hydra created, but a monster nonetheless.'

* * *

Heather was given another invite to go to the gym with her friends. She showed up a little before them, getting a few heavy rounds in before they got there and she had to tone it down. The first person to walk in is August, who eyes her taking a few weights off the bench press.

"Last person here must have been a heavy lifter," he states, making her look up.

"Yeah, must have," she says, putting the weights on the rack.

August sets his bag on the bench as Josh and Nikki walk in. They follow August's lead, putting their bags down before opening them up. August takes out some athletic tape and starts wrapping his hands.

"So, are you two the only ones that know martial arts, or is it a secret club thing?" Heather asks.

"It's just us," Josh says, "Nikki knows a little boxing."

"Serves me right for growing up with one," Nikki replies, teasing.

"Father?" Heather asks.

"Aunt," Nikki replies. Heather nods.

"Go girl power," she cheers. Finn walks in, holding the door open for Jacey, "Jacey? You go to the gym?"

"A girl's gotta keep in shape," she says, shrugging. After putting her bag down, she asks, "can someone spot me?"

"Sure," Nikki answers, standing up. They go to the second bench press. August has claimed a punching bag and is warming up with a few moves.

Heather looks at Josh. "Can you spot me? I want to get a few reps in," she asks.

"Yeah, of course," he says walking over. Heather gets in position and flexes her fingers before gripping the bar. "Do you lift often?" He asks.

"Sometimes," she says, picking the bar up. She brings it to her chest and exhales as she lifts it back up, "Why do you ask?"

"Because you have seventy pounds on either side of the bar, and you're lifting like it's nothing," Josh points out.

"Really, I didn't notice," Heather responds after another rep.

"Do you need to amp up the weight a little?" Josh suggests.

"Nah, I'm good." She waits until she's inhaling before adding, "it isn't as easy as it looks."

But really, it's super easy. Heather is almost bored with the one hundred and forty pounds, plus the forty-five pound bar. But she can't have them knowing she can technically lift almost ten times her own weight.

"If you say so." That comment didn't come from Josh, but from August. Heather places the bar back on the rack above her, then looks to her left. August is holding a punching bag for Finn, but has his eyes trained on Heather.

"I'd like to see how much you can lift," Heather says, sitting up. August waits until Finn is done, before walking over.

"Don't mind if I do," August states. He adds more weights to the bench press, then gets into position. Josh stays as spotter, amused at their little competition. August lifts it, having slight trouble, then does a full set of fifteen before putting it back.

"That was, what? Two hundred and five pounds?" Heather asks.

"Eighty per side, yes," August states proudly.

Heather nods, "My my, impressive. But is that the best you can do?"

"Can you top it?" August asks.

Heather seriously thinks about trying, wanting to see his smugness drop at the sight of her lifting ten times that amount at her hardest. But she knows better. She isn't going to give into petty competitiveness. "Keep it, I'll be over here."

Heather walks to a punching bag farther away from them. She starts off slow, but then works up a rhythm. "Another one bites the dust?" She hears behind her.

The Finn had been watching and noticed she had been humming a song with each breath. "You know it?"

"Everyone does," he says, "need a spotter?"

"Nah, I'm good," Heather says, turning back to the bag. She starts again and finds a different song to sing to, only she keeps it in her thoughts. And then her thoughts stray to when she was at the Tower. 'He's been trained by Hydra. Hydra was around me even before I met Steve,' she relays in her head, 'He can't just.. Hydra hurt Kate. Hydra is the reason she died sooner than the doctors predicted. Hydra is to blame!'

She hears a rip and stops. Under her fist, there is a tear in the fabric, a little sand spilling out. She looks around for a roll of tape, finding one a few feet away on a bench. She then checks to see if anyone saw her.

And she comes eye to eye with August. His eyes go from her face to her hand covering the tear. When his eyes come back to hers, they narrow as if to ask, 'What are you hiding?'

She glares back, then reaches for the tape. A hand touches it before she falls out of balance. She looks up and sees August there. 'How'd he get here so fast?' she wonders. She takes the tape and stands straight again. After patching the hole, she puts the tape back and looks for something else to do. Nikki is at the bench press now, so Heather offers to be her spotter.

She feels August's gaze a few times, but he keeps himself occupied as well. Then a phone goes off. Josh walks to his bag and takes it out. He checks the caller ID, then answers it. "Hello, this is Josh Evert's phone. Who am I speaking to? … Uh huh.. No, I am not interested in buying a paint set. I don't have children. Thank you, but no thank you." He hangs up, looking at the others.

Nikki places the weights back where they rest. "I actually have somewhere to go," she says, standing up, "my aunt is going to call at any second and I promised-" her phone goes off, "and that's her, bye guys! See you tomorrow," she says as she picks up her bag and starts for the door, phone in hand.

Everyone else starts saying goodbye, but then Finn slaps his forehead, "Jacey, don't we have a test in Geometry coming up?"

Jacey suddenly gets a look of horror, "..Did you study?" Finn shakes his head. Jacey then goes to her bag, taking a drink of water.

"If you two need to study," Josh starts to say.

"Yeah, we really should get going," Finn says, also collecting his stuff. They leave, just as August's phone goes off.

Josh looks at him. August reads the text, then throws Josh a dark look, "..Did you forget-?"

"What did I forget?" Josh looks at the text for himself. His face turns ashen, "Oops."

"Oops!?" August yells, "Now we both are getting punishment for that."

"What's wrong?" Heather asks.

"Someone," August states, nodding to Josh, "forgot to finish his chores and now we both have to clean up the mess."

"In other words, we gotta go home early. Sorry Heather," Josh says as August stomps to his bag. "Maybe next time, right?"

"..Yeah, right." August pulls Josh along, having collected his older brother's bag as well. Heather stands there as the door closes, suddenly realizing they were the only people at the gym. 'Does anyone else use it?' She wonders. But then a few others start to trickle in and she quietly gathers her things and heads back to the apartment.

* * *

 **I'm guessing you have questions.**

 **August seems suspicious of Heather, but.. she isn't the only suspicious one.**

 ***smiles* Must be a club thing.**

 **And for my faithful reviewer, I am not telling anything about the club. You'll have to just wait. I'm sorry. (I really really want to tell you, but that will ruin the surprise later! Plus.. I still need to work out some details)**

 **Also! Now we know a little more about Bryce. (I so wanted Bryce to be in Hydra. Wish granted!) My question is: Do you feel a little pity for 9 year old Bryce in a Hydra academy? No? Me neither. It doesn't condone his actions throughout his life.**

 **~CtW**


	17. Chapter 16

**The story is really starting to pick up. Can you feel the electricity in the air?**

* * *

Steve had trusted Heather to get to school on her own on Friday, because he had to stay at the Tower to finish up a few things. Heather had told him she'd be fine on her own, but her words fell short when she woke up to her alarm after it's third attempt to get her up.

"Miss Morse, you are coming close to be dastardly late," Jarvis tells her from the phone on her bedside table. Heather sits up and checks the phone. Realizing he is right, she bolts out of bed and chooses the first set of clothes she sees. She brushes her teeth before heading to the fridge and heating up a breakfast hot pocket. She pulls her shoes on, grabs her breakfast from the microwave, almost forgetting her backpack.

And she arrives at the school only a few seconds before the first bell rings. She pulls into homeroom, spent to her core. She finds her seat and plops down, hearing Mr. Jessen's voice slowly turn to gibberish.

Heather had gotten zero sleep the night before. The moment she was out of school, she got a call saying Steve would pick her up around the corner to go to the Tower. He had a mission and thought she could use the time to train while the Avengers were gone. But after hearing the mission, Heather was offended she wasn't allowed to go.

" _It's a school night, Heather," Steve had said, "you need to be able to go to school. What if you get hurt?"_

" _I'll be fine, Steve," Heather assures, "You don't have to put me anywhere too dangerous, just let me help."_

He had eventually let her go, but what Heather wasn't counting on was the after-mission nightmares to settle in when she came back to the apartment. She didn't want to call Steve when she had the first one, because she knew he would be busy all night. So she resulted in waking up at odd times, not remembering when she fell asleep, but certain that there weren't many hours between her next rousal.

"Heather?"

Heather looks up to see her English teacher looking at her.

"It isn't like you to fall asleep in class. Are my teachings boring you?"

Heather looks around. She doesn't remember coming into English. She doesn't even recall hearing the bell.

"Well..?" He asks, her classmates watching her.

Heather rubs her eye, sitting up more, "I'm sorry, Mr. Baelford," she says, trying to keep her words clear, "I had a really rough night. Someone had broken into the apartment I share with my dad, and it was really hard to sleep afterwards."

"I see," Mr. Baelford says, before returning the the front of the class. He continues his lesson and Heather is tempted to nod off again, but she stays awake long enough for the bell to jar her senses. She starts out of the room, but the teacher calls her to his desk. "If you have any questions, please ask me tomorrow, when you are more well rested," he says, emphasizing the last part.

"Of course, Mr. Baelford," Heather says, before going off to her next class after trying to hold in a yawn.

But the same cycle seemed to repeat all day. Heather focused on her painting, but it all resulted in a blob of colors when Mrs. Morens checked on her. Mr. Wecmals noticed a lack in her vocal enthusiasm, and asked her to stay a few minutes after class to talk about it. She brought a note from him to her physical education teacher, who promptly asked, "Feeling tired today?"

Heather nods, "Yes Ms. Gerbringer. But I'll try my best in-"

"No," her teacher says, "go sit on the benches, Heather. I don't need a student in the nurse's office because she was kept up all night." Heather nods and goes over to the plastic bleachers for the entirety of class.

Heather remembers the mission, and at the time it didn't seem like it would bring anything in her dreams. But in hindsight, Heather remembers bits and pieces that really added up. Her eyelids start to feel heavier than she can manage, so she shakes her head and takes out her notebook. She starts to form song lyrics to add music to when she is near her guitar.

But only after trying for fifteen minutes, she flips the page over and starts a sketch.

* * *

"..Heather..?"

Heather groans, moving her head a little. Her neck and butt feel wedged in something.

"Heather, can you hear me?"

Heather opens her eyes, seeing Ms. Gerbringer looking down at her. "Hi.. Ms. Gerbringer," Heather slurs, "what happened?"

"You fell asleep, Heather," the teacher says, "you fell back on the bleachers behind you. Does your head hurt?"

"..My neck hurts a little.." Heather admits.

"Okay, I'm going to help you up, alright. Ellie, can you help?"

"Sure." Ellie, a smaller girl in Heather's class, walks over and listens to Ms. Gerbringer's instructions to hold Heather's head so her neck doesn't move. They lift Heather so she's sitting up again. She then notices that the rest of the class is staring.

Heather waits patiently as her teacher feels along her neck's sides. "I don't feel anything. Does it still hurt?"

Heather waits a moment, "No, I'm fine now. It was just a little uncomfortable in that position."

"Are you sure? I should call the nurse just in case."

"No, I'm sure you don't have to Ms. Gerbringer," Heather assures. But a student is sent to the office to find her. Heather sighs, and waits for the nurse to arrive.

After her check over, which Heather thinks took far too long, Heather is deemed uninjured, "But," the nurse continues telling the teacher, "I recommend calling her father. You shouldn't have come to school if you were so tired." She directs the last part to Heather, who sits there in dejection.

"Yes Mrs. Sandson," she answers.

The bell rings, but it didn't ring soon enough to help her.

"Will he be home now?"

"..Yes."

"I'll give him a call, you go off to lunch. But be cautious, Heather," Mrs. Sandson says gently. Heather nods and picks up her bag. She sits down at the table, not bothering to get in line.

"Heather? Are you okay?" Josh asks, being the first one to the table with food.

"I'm just tired," she answers.

"Falling asleep mid song is not tired, it's exhausted," Nikki says, sitting down next. August and Finn were talking about something as they found the table, and August is the first of the two to see Heather's state.

"Who woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?" he asks.

"You," Heather says, placing her head on her crossed arms.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Nikki asks.

"My dad's picking me up. I'll go home during lunch," Heather says, "don't worry, I'll be right as rain tomorrow. I just need a ton of sleep."

"I heard it was a robbery at your place," Finn says.

'Word travels fast,' Heather muses. She looks up, "I said my home was broken into. They didn't take anything. It was just.."

Heather closes her eyes, only to have to open them due to the picture of unconscious bodies littering a hall. She takes a calm breath.

"It was just shocking."

"To the point that you couldn't sleep?" August asks.

"I don't get situations like that at the farm, August!" Heather yells.

"There go your emotions again," he says, looking back at his tray.

"Like you don't have any?" Heather mutters back.

"Are you going to get anything to eat?" Nikki asks.

"I'm not hungry." No sooner had she said it, Josh produces a small bag of carrots for her. She takes it, silently thanking him. She opens it up and puts the first one in her mouth.

"Heather."

She tenses at the voice, but turns around. 'Grant' is there, looking at her. 'How did I not hear him coming?' Heather wonders.

"Josh, Finn," he greets. He looks at the other two, "And two new faces." He holds his hand out to Nikki first, because she is closer. "Grant Parcel."

"Nikki Dalton," she introduces, shaking his hand. He nods to August, staying near Heather.

"August Evert."

Steve raises a brow, "You're Josh's brother?"

"Yes sir," August says.

Steve looks at Heather, "The truck is outside."

"Okay." Heather stands up and waves at her friends before walking to the truck with Steve. He sits down in the driver's seat and turns to softly scold her, only to find her passed out next to him. Steve sighs and starts the truck. He only wakes her up once they are parked outside the apartment.

* * *

The lone figure stands at the window when the doors suddenly open behind him. "Hail Hydra!" The soldiers say as they walk in.

The figure turns to look at them. He beckons them forward. In their grasp, almost tripping on his two feet, is Bryce. When the soldiers come to a stop again, he looks up. He stares at the figure, who calmly stares back.

"Does my appearance bother you, Mr. Rumlow?"

Bryce doesn't answer the question, but instead asks his own, "Are you.. You're.." The soldiers drop his arms, which causes him to land on his butt. "T-The.. Red Skull?"

His uncle didn't tell him much outside all things Hydra. So as a child, he was told stories of Herr Schmitt, the leader of Hydra. The stories were scary, almost to give him nightmares as a young boy. But they were nothing to being in the same room as the villain.

"Ah, so you've heard of me," Red Skull says, turning back to the window. He then silently beckons Bryce to stand. He does so, walking over to the window as well. In the better light, Red Skull sees the mangled face of the young man. "..Did you lose?" He asks, offhand.

Bryce touches his nose, but doesn't answer.

"Speak, boy!"

"Yes!" Bryce yells of surprise.

"Against who?"

"Just a girl.." Bryce grumbles.

Red Skull turns to him. He takes his chin in his hand and tilts Bryce's head from side to side, examining his face. "She must have hit you multiple times to make such an injury," he says with a calculative tone.

Bryce doesn't meet his eye.

"Am I wrong?"

"..She only hit me once," Bryce corrects.

"It seems you took on a foe you couldn't handle."

"She took me by surprise, Herr Shmidt," Bryce says.

"Still, this girl must have been strong." He drops his hand and Bryce rubs his chin.

"That's what I don't understand."

"Oh? You think girls can't be strong?" Red Skull asks.

"Most. But I knew this girl a few years ago. She wasn't a fighter, she wasn't this strong. And now I meet her again and she's.." Bryce growls to himself as he can't explain it.

Red Skull suddenly becomes intrigued. "..Who are her parents?"

"People of no consequence. She isn't living with them now."

"Who is she living with?"

"A guardian. I don't know his name."

Red Skull looks out the window, thinking about the possibility.

"..This girl.. What is her name?"

* * *

 **Here is one of those moments where you can be all "I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT WAS HIM!" in your review. I won't judge.**

 **Yes, the original title was going to be 'Country Lass: Return of the Skull' but that kinda gave it away.**

 **Heather, Heather, Heather, she had a rough day at school. I think the actions taken after Heather hit her head are accurate to EMR protocol, but don't quote me on it.**

 **Needless to say, Heather's having a hard time balancing missions and school.**

 **Until tomorrow!**

 **~CtW**


	18. Chapter 17

***vibrates in seat* You ready? Are you? Are you really?**

 **Well, no going back! Read on!**

* * *

The sun casts a large shadow over the city, just barely above the lowest skyscrapers. Steve had left for his morning run, and Heather joined him since her school is having a two hour delay for a teacher's workshop.

They stop at Central Park, walking onto one of the paths Steve steered them too. Here, Heather takes in the quiet air, not afraid at all if there may be some hostile persons around. Whoever would dare to confront them will have quite the surprise.

"How is your family?" Steve asks.

"..Doing better, actually. Leslie showed me a few new moves in the gymnasium, and she's coming close to her longest streak without terrible nightmares. I haven't needed to calm her down since August."

"And it's October now," Steve comments. Heather nods.

"And.. Andrew has opened up a little. He doesn't talk about what happened still, but he isn't reluctant to talk to the therapist. And he doesn't freeze up when you-know-what is mentioned," Heather adds, proud of her little brother, "he was excited to show me his robot last weekend."

Heather got the chance to slip away from New York and visit her family at the SHIELD facility over Saturday and Sunday. She would have stayed the night before, but Steve had called her back to get any homework done that she missed.

"..Mom is proud that I've started school again, and that I've made friends. She got really teary," Heather says, "and the doctors say she's getting a little more sleep on her own. I think that her knowing I'm not running around risking my life constantly will help her with that."

"I'm sure it will. Your mother is very protective of you," Steve comments, remembering all the way back to when he first officially met the woman.

"Even though I'm now _her_ protector," Heather adds.

Steve sees the exit up ahead. "And.. You're father?"

Heather slows down, looking at her shoes.

"..Heather?"

"No change," Heather says. Steve puts a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. He hopes that she can tell he's trying to be as supportive as he can. "..I read to him, a little. He loved to hear me read before.."

"Before he went under," Steve finishes.

Heather nods, then leans over for a hug. "I miss him," she says, "I know that he'd love to talk to me about everything that's happening. He'd joke that one of my new friends will catch my eye, then I'll bring him home and Dad will give him 'the boyfriend talk' and I'll get all mad and he will just smile at me and kiss my forehead and say he loves me and.." Heather takes a deep breath, tears following the crease in the sides of her nose, "and.. and.."

"I'm sure he would," Steve says, putting a hand through her hair. Heather nods into his chest, then takes a deep breath. "Got it all out?"

Heather looks up at him, nodding, "I think so. ..Let's get home before I miss school."

Steve chuckles. They start towards the sidewalk along the street. Steve wraps an arm around Heather's shoulders, letting her lean into the crook of his arm.

"..Heather!"

She looks up, trying to find the voice. She looks across the street, seeing Josh waving. She waves back. He crosses the street, dragging his brother with. They meet up after dodging cars. "Hey guys, how was your weekend?"

"Pretty uneventful," August answers.

"Except for when that dog was on the loose," Josh adds, "but you were inside the entire time, you missed all the fun."

"I was sick!" August protests.

"You're feeling better right?" Heather asks, a little concerned. He wasn't sick on Friday.

August looks at her, "I am outside, aren't I?"

Steve frowns slightly, but doesn't have any time to say something. "How was your weekend, Heather?"

She is stunned by the question, only to answer, "Visiting family on the other side of the States. I was gone all weekend."

"Remember," August says, nudging his brother, "Nikki said she called her about the weekend thing you guys had planned, without me, and she said Heather was visiting her Mom."

Heather looks at Steve, 'You told them I was visiting Mom?' silent on her tongue. He gives her an apologetic look, before turning back to the boys.

"Oh yeah," Josh answers, "How is she?"

"..A little bit of an insomniac," Heather answers smoothly, "but she was happy to have me visit."

"We have to keep family close, don't we?" Josh states.

"Exactly."

Steve looks at Heather briefly before asking, "Heather told me that you two were living with a legal guardian?"

"Yes, Master Ikeda Mikio," Josh answers.

"She took us in when we were little after.." August pauses for just a moment, "after our parents died."

"I'm sorry for bringing it up," Steve says, kicking himself internally for not realizing it was a delicate subject.

"It's alright. It's been years so.." Josh puts his arm around August, "plus, Master Ikeda is a true mother to us. she has taken care of us like her own children."

"Why do you call her 'master'?" Heather asks.

"Master Ikeda is a master of martial arts. So, to honor her, we call her master," August says, a little offense in his tone.

"I meant no disrespect," Heather states.

"Don't mind him," Josh says as August turns to go down the street, "he's still recuperating from being sick all weekend."

Heather smiles, nodding.

"Well, better get home. There's a few more things to do before we can head to school." Josh turns to follow after his brother.

"Josh?" He turns back. "..Master Ikeda taught you both martial arts, didn't she?"

Josh nods, "Everything we know." Then he turns and starts to jog to catch up to August, who is already halfway down the block.

"Those two are an interesting pair," Steve says.

"And we aren't?" Heather teases, "We should get home too. Biology is kicking my butt."

* * *

Heather opens the door after school, to see Steve in full gear for a mission. "What is it this time?" Heather asks, ready to drop her backpack and get suited up.

Steve looks up at her, "Personal mission, Heather. You should get started on your homework."

"..You got a lead on him?" Heather asks. Steve never goes on a 'personal mission' for anything else.

"Natasha found it. She simply relayed it to me," Steve says, "but she also told me to not get my hopes up. There is a very small chance he's still there."

Heather puts her backpack and jacket on the couch, "Who's going?"

"Just me and Sam," Steve answers, tightening his glove, "We'll meet up at the Tower, then take the mini-jet to the location."

"Where?"

"Southern Italy. Near the toe," Steve says, picking up his comm set.

"..When will you be back?"

"At the earliest, tomorrow in the afternoon. And at the latest? ..Probably Wednesday evening."

'Two days?' Heather looks at him to ask why.

"You can handle being alone for that long, right?" he asks.

Heather nods, "Yes. And Natasha is a phone call away, right? All the Avengers are."

"I will be on radio silence, same as Sam. You can't call us."

"I know that," Heather says, "just be careful alright? He may be your best friend, but it doesn't mean he remembers everything."

"I know." Steve walks over and kisses her forehead without thinking, "Be good. Get your homework done, don't skip school. Don't get into a fight you can't handle, call for backup if you need it, acquire as little injuries as possible-"

"Don't put innocent civilians in danger, and don't die," Heather finishes, smirking, "I got it, Steve."

He walks to the door, putting his shield on his back. He salutes to Heather, who salutes back. He then leaves, putting his disguise over his armor. Heather picks up her backpack, takes an apple from the fruit stand on the counter, and goes to her room.

* * *

Thankfully, Heather didn't have any nightmares after Steve left. But she almost forgot he was even gone in the morning. She checked his room, finding it as immaculate and sparse as always.

She goes to the kitchen. She sees Steve's running shoes still parked by the door. Only then does she remember. "Personal mission with Sam. Won't be back until Wednesday at the latest," she sighs.

She gets her breakfast, packs her bag, and heads to school. She doesn't take the bus, so she can get a run done in the morning. She jogs down the street, not getting too many remarks about her speed. She stops at a crosswalk, waiting for the light to change.

She looks around, seeing a few people waiting at other crosswalks. She taps her foot absentmindedly, going over a song in her head to pass the time.

But she gets a little feeling in her gut. Looking around casually. She doesn't see anything off. Just people about their day. 'So why am I suddenly uneasy?' She asks herself.

The light changes and she crosses the street. A few people are behind her. Two walk into a store when she passes it, but there are two that don't. They keep walking, either looking at their watches, or swerving their heads to look at the buildings.

Heather checks the time as she passes a clock shop, '8:30am. I have time. It's probably nothing, anyway.'

Heather takes the next crosswalk instead of walking forwards like she does to get to school. The two people turn where she does. Heather takes a few more corners. Whenever she checks in the windows she passes, the same pair are behind her.

'They are definitely following me,' Heather decides. She looks at her surroundings. She knows a fight right now will put people in danger. But a girl who is being followed by strangers? 'I need to find a police officer,' she starts to look around, checking how far away her pursuers are. They don't seem to know that she's aware of them.

At the next crosswalk, there's a police officer parked, watching the traffic. Heather smiles and tries to be as calm as possible. She walks to his side of the street, not taking her eyes off the car. But she looks up and sees that there is another pair watching her, between her and the car.

'I could yell. But I don't know if they are armed.' She notices the pair behind her are still walking, whereas she has stopped. 'Think Heather.' She turns away from the car and towards the next intersection. But just as she's about to reach it, someone steps out of a shop door right into her path.

"Oh, I'm sorry," the person says, catching Heather as she trips. Heather feels a gun barrel press into her stomach, "no sudden movements, no noise," he whispers. Heather feels a third hand pull her into the shop.

She wrenches away from them and puts her hands up. But they are faster, knocking her into one of the cardboard stalls of merchandise. There's a gasp in the background. Heather starts to get up, but her assailant keeps her down.

Heather looks up as one of them takes out a badge, telling the people that they are from the CIA. Heather calls their bluff and kicks out the legs of the closest. She stands up and looks at them. 'Five against one,' Heather grumbles, 'in over my head much?'

Two come at her and Heather maneuvers around the stalls and down aisles. She lands on her back, next to a small boy and his mom.

"Go! Get out of here!" She yells, waving them away. They listen, heading for the door. Heather turns back and thrusts up, kicking the person over her in the stomach. Using her momentum, she flips onto her feet, blocking the people that appeared on her left and right.

Something smacks her in the head and she yelps, clutching the shelving in front of her. She turns and kicks the person away, seeing the gun in their hand.

'They aren't shooting,' Heather says, 'don't want attention.' She tries to keep track of all five, one of which she reduced to an unconscious mess on the floor.

"We got you now," one says, the four closing in on her.

"Really?" Heather asks. She flips over the shelves behind her. She pushes them over, pinning two of the men. She looks around, fists at ready. Her backpack is ripped, the books peeking out. The men stand up again. Heather sees one put a hand to his ear.

"Reinforcements are on the way," the person on the other end says. Heather's eyes widen and she disappears into the back. She opens the door, only to see someone with a gun coming down the alley. She closes and locks it.

'I'm not going to get out of this, am I?' Heather asks herself. She takes off her backpack. Taking out her phone, she hears someone trying the door knob. "Jarvis, call Avengers Tower"

"Calling," he answers, as someone slams into the door, "unable to reach Tower. Shall I record a mess-"

"Yes!" Heather yells.

"Recording."

"This is Heather. I'm in trouble. There are at least six strong arms that have tailed me to.." Heather tries to remember the street name, "Hart Avenue.. I can't remember the area of New York. I can't get out of this, I'm over my head."

Both doors are being broken down now.

"..Find me," Heather says, then shoves the phone deep into her backpack, where there is a secret compartment. She stuffs the bag behind a few boxes under the metal shelving. She then stands up, readying her fists. 'I'm going down fighting,' she tells herself.

The first door breaks and her opponents come in one at a time. She takes them down as they reach her, not holding anything back. They pile at her feet, but once the second door bursts open, the room is easily overtaken by the brutes.

Heather kicked in the stomach. She trips over one of the men on the floor. She turns to catch her fall with her hands, only for her forehead to hit the corner of a metal shelf. She hits the floor soon after. She tries to get up, but a boot puts pressure on her back.

Heather is dragged backwards. Someone straddles her legs, putting something cold, thick, and metal around her wrists. 'Handcuffs,' she realizes, 'heavy duty by the feel.'

She waits until the pressure on her legs is gone, then she still fights, even if she's on the ground and her head is swimming. Someone kicks her again, making her nose gush blood. Someone picks her up and throws her over their shoulder. She is jolted at every step, then is thrown onto something hard. The sounds fade away, and Heather hopes that Steve can find her backpack.

* * *

 **Family is better. That's good.**

 **Learning more about the Evert boys.**

 **Steve's going on a mission.**

 **And Heather's life is going to take a turn for the worse...  
** **My poor cinnamon roll.. What am I doing to you..?**

 **Any guesses as to who? (it's alright people, it isn't that hard.)**

 **~CtW**


	19. Chapter 18

**Question is..**

 **How will Cap take the news?**

* * *

Steve walks up the ramp of the mini-jet, looking over his shoulder a few times. He turns back, seeing Sam at the pilot seat. He starts up the plane, then turns to look at Steve. "..Steve, I'm sorry," Sam answers, "We didn't know it was a dead end lead."

Steve sighs, sitting in the co-pilot seat, "No.. I thought we were close this time too. It's not your fault." He looks out the ramp.

"It isn't yours either," Sam adds.

"Maybe we haven't covered the entire area," Steve says, starting to stand up again.

Sam grabs his arm before he gets far. "We did. There wasn't a single trace of Bucky." Steve doesn't look at Sam, only out the ramp as Sam presses the button to close it. "He isn't here."

Steve sighs, "Then let's get back." He turns around and buckles in. Sam initiates the take off and soon enough they are over the ocean on the way back to the States.

Steve leans back in his seat, staring at the very top of the window. " _Steve!"_

" _Yeah Bucky?"_

" _I heard about your mom. She lost her job again, didn't she?"_

" _She's.. She says we'll be fine."_

" _I'm always here, you know. And when you get in trouble again-"_

" _Oh not again.."_

" _You'll never lose this Buck!"_

" _Bucky-"_

"Cap!" Steve is shaken out of his thoughts. He looks at Sam. "Are you going to turn radio silence off?"

Steve looks at the console, seeing the light isn't blinking, "Oh, right." He flips a switch, making the little lightbulb flash red.

"This is Avengers Tower, Mini-jet come in!" Tony says.

Steve presses a button, "This is Mini-jet. What is it Tony?"

"Get back here asap!" Tony yells at them.

"We're halfway across the ocean and won't be slowing down," Sam informs.

"What's wrong?" Steve asks.

Instead of Tony, Natasha's voice cuts through, "This is why, Steve. ..Replay it Jarvis."

" _ **Schhh- This is Heather. I'm in trouble. There are at least six strong arms that have tailed me to … Hart Avenue … I can't remember the area of New York. ..I can't get out of this, I'm over my head … ..Find me. -schhhh!"**_

Steve stares at the console in front of him, the message hitting his core like a bag of bricks.

"..We received that message from her phone at midnight. We've been trying to contact you since," Natasha says gently.

"We'll be there in twenty tops," Sam says. He looks at Steve. His friend looks back. Sam may have been calm when informing their eta, but he's also shaken up.

Steve sighs, taking off his seatbelt, "Make it fifteen," he tells Sam. He stands up. He walks to one of the back corners of the Mini-jet. He leans into it and squeezes his eyes shut.

Sam notices him, but gives him his space. He would tell him to focus on getting them back anyway.

* * *

The moment they get back, Steve rushes to the party deck, which is where everyone is at. Tony brought one of his high-tech computers there because he didn't want Steve tearing through the Tower and wrecking everything in his path.

Steve finally stops, with Sam a ways behind him. On the table next to the computer is Heather's backpack, ripped up and dirty. Her phone is hooked up to the computer wirelessly. "Play it again," he tells them. Natasha pushes the button. The computer shows the voice frequency.

" _ **Schhh- This is Heather. I'm in trouble. There are at least six strong arms that have tailed me to … Hart Avenue … I can't remember the area of New York. ..I can't get out of this, I'm over my head … ..Find me. -schhhh!"**_

There are noises in the background. Sounding like pounding on metal, or wood. There is yelling, which almost overtakes Heather's voice near the end. And after she finishes speaking, the phone gets shoved away and there is a few minutes of fighting before they hear a loud clang, then there's only shuffling.

"..Her voice checks out, it's her," Natasha says, trying to find something to say. Steve looks at the date the recording was made.

'Tuesday morning,' he tells himself, 'she didn't even get to school that day.'

He turns away. "Steve?"

"I shouldn't have left her," Steve says aloud to himself.

"You want to find your best friend, she'd understand that," Natasha says, following him.

"But is it worth it to lose her?" Steve asks, turning around.

Natasha stops, crossing her arms and planting her feet firmly at shoulder width apart, "Would it have been worth it if it meant not finding him?"

Steve stares at her, then sighs, "I could have had one of you stay with her."

"Do you walk her to school, Steve?"

"No," Steve answers.

"Then nothing could have been prevented," Natasha says, "as much as I don't want to admit it, either."

"She's a child," Steve tells himself.

"No," Natasha says. Steve looks at her. "She is young, yes. But she's grown the past half year. She knew to contact us, she tried to give us as much information as she could, and she fought her hardest," Natasha walks over to Steve as she talks, "she did the best she could with the circumstance, where the girl we first met would have been frozen in fear or running away."

"Maybe she should have ran," Steve says, "then she might have gotten to the Tower, somewhere safe."

"She knew she couldn't," Natasha points out.

"But-"

"She isn't a child, Steve!" Natasha yells. Steve doesn't want to hear anymore, so he starts to walk back to the others. "Even if you tell yourself she's yours."

Steve freezes, then turns to face Natasha again. He takes a long minute before addressing her accusation. "..Yes, she isn't my real daughter. I know that."

"I see how you act around her," Natasha says, "having you be her 'Dad' at the new school wasn't an Avenger's decision, it was yours."

"She is my _responsibility_ ," Steve says, "and I left her alone, unguarded, and she's is who-knows-where now!" Steve turns away and goes back to the computer.

Tony heard the yelling, just not all the words. He looks at Natasha briefly, before addressing Steve, "Jarvis tried to locate her, but-"

"The only way to track Heather is in her phone," Jarvis states, "and unfortunately, she left it behind to contact you, sir."

"So we can't find her that way," Tony continues.

"So how will we find her?" Steve asks.

The group all share a look, then Tony looks back at Steve, "We don't know." Steve looks down, his hands going to fists. "We don't even know who took her," Tony adds.

"It had to be Hydra," Steve says, not meeting anyone's eyes.

"Hold up, we don't know that. Not even Heather knew that," Natasha states.

Sam finally speaks, "But whoever they are-"

"They've just made a dangerous enemy," Steve says, looking up from his white knuckles.

* * *

 **As expected, not well.**

 **Steve, don't get on the guilt train. It could have happened even if you were there.**

 **And Natasha brings up an interesting statement. 'She isn't a child ... even if you tell yourself she's yours.'  
Do you agree with Natasha? Has Steve been acting that way?**

 **And a final question until tomorrow: Where is Heather?**

 **~CtW**


	20. Chapter 19

**... No teenage super soldiers were harmed in the making of this story. ..But the same cannot be said for handlers of said teenage super soldier.**

 **You need to read this chapter to understand.**

* * *

As Heather starts to come into consciousness, she can't smell anything but the sharp tang of copper. She tastes it too, as thin chips in her mouth. There's a steady hum around her, both in her ears and vibrating through the hard floor.

She finally opens an eye, the other one still wanting to sleep. It's dark in the room, but the dome-like ceiling mimics the one in the Quinjet.

'So, I'm on a plane,' Heather deduces. She's been breathing through her mouth since she awoke because of the blood caking her nose, upper lip, and chin. It had long since dried, making Heather wonder how long she's been out.

Her arms are restricted behind her back, still locked in the heavy duty handcuffs. They are bound so tightly, she is sore and numb in her shoulder blades. She couldn't bring her hands in front of her if she tried.

'Maybe I could use that,' Heather thinks. She looks around again, finding she's alone, but there is a thick looking door on the far side of the room. She was leaned against a crate, but since it moves easily when she tries sitting up out of her slouched position, it's empty.

She then flexes her arms, pulling her wrists away from each other. The chain between the cuffs doesn't budge and the metal bruises her skin. The then tries again, pulling the chain towards her back, straining to put her wrists on either side of her stomach.

"Come.. on.." she says through her teeth, "..break.."

She hears a voice through the door after she growls to herself at the pain in her wrists. As the door unlocks she hears a satisfying snap as the chain breaks from the pressure. She feels her wrists, the band around each one measuring about an inch of metal in thickness.

The door opens and Heather stands up. She sees people pile into the room. 'Should have kept it locked,' she muses. One comes at her with a baton sparking with electricity on one end. She dodges it and kicks him farther into the room.

The next person lands a blow on her back, but Heather quickly turns around and blocks their next one. Someone kicks out her knee, forcing her towards the floor. Some stands over her, keeping her from getting back up. A fourth kicks her face.

'Enough of this,' Heather presses closer to the floor, then pushes off it, sending the person on her back flying.

"He won't appreciate her being damaged," one of her assailants says to the others.

Heather targets him, pushing the others away as she pins him to the wall by the door. "Who?" she asks, a firm grip on his shoulders.

Something pricks her skin at the base of her neck. She lets go of one shoulder to check, her hand grabbing a cylinder. The soldier in front of her punches her with his free arm, making her collapse to the ground. Heather shakes her head when her vision starts to go blurry. She wasn't quick enough to avoid the fist.

'How..?' She brings her hand back to see what had pricked her. It's a small dart with blood red and black feathers on the end. Heather's head slumps to the side. Her hand goes limp, allowing the dart to roll away until it hits someone's boot.

* * *

"Which room is.." Heather's head pulses as the different voices wash over her. She groans a little, feeling her feet being dragged along the floor. Her head is hanging down, so she opens them to see the tiled hallway floor. One pair of boots is on either side of her, as well as two more that trail behind. Her arms are in the strong grip of the two people who are closest, but Heather smiles at that fact.

'They didn't cuff me again. Stupid thugs.' She waits until they stop to talk to someone again. She moves her feet closer.

"She's awake!"

Heather pushes off the floor, flipping the two holding her arms. She then looks around. There are the two still standing, a nurse garbed person behind her, and a few men coming from down the hallway. There are three guns trained on her.

"Don't, move," one warns. Heather quickly drops to the floor as a bullet zooms towards her. She kicks out the person that fired it, knocking him into his partner. She stands and runs down the hall that has no soldiers in it yet, but a hand grabs her brown hair and yanks her back. She yelps, clawing blindly behind her.

She's slammed into the floor. She kicks the first person to get close enough to her legs, then kicks back, hitting the assailant of her hair in the head. She gets up, but is then dogpiled. She tries to shove them off, but she's kept in her double bent position.

They're just too heavy. 'How many people are on me?' Heather wonders.

"Get her into the room," one orders. Heather pushes against them, but they force her arms behind her again and walk her into the room. She sees a chair, a lot like one at the dentist, at the end of the small room.

She doubles her efforts, and nearly escapes, but then the door is shut and she's pulled away from it. After all her struggling, she's strapped to the chair and the soldiers step back, lining the walls.

"My my, I did not expect this much.. Defiance." Heather looks up from trying to break the bolted down cuffs over her arms. "But then again, I guess it must have been an obvious trait you'd show."

Before her, there is a man in a black dress shirt and suspenders, with a pair of slacks to match. But the part of him that Heather can't look away from is his bright, red, _face_.

After a long breath of silence, he asks, "Do you know who I am, child?"

"Don't call me a child," Heather warns.

He clicks his tongue, walking closer. "You _are_ a little spitfire," he comments, "But that was not the question, was it?"

Heather narrows her gaze at him, "I'm going to go with the Red Skull."

His smug expression changes so he's glaring at her, "That is not my name."

Heather not only learned about him in class, but also got a primary source from Steve himself. And one thing he was sure to clarify; Red Skull is insane.

But Heather can't let him know she's scared, so she brings up the courage to say, "What about Tomato Face?"

He takes one step forward and slaps her. Heather feels something dislodge in her jaw, only for it to snap right back. "My name, is Herr Johann Shmidt," he tells her.

"What do you want with me?" Heather asks, "And how are you not dead?"

"As you have demonstrated in the hall, you are not a normal young girl, are you?"

Heather doesn't answer.

"One would say you are even, above the normal people," he adds.

"Don't beat around the bush, Skull, it isn't flattering," Heather says.

"..I know you are a super soldier," he says.

"Then you know who mentored me," Heather says.

"The Captain," Red Skull answers.

"You will be in big trouble once he and his team find me," Heather says.

"Yes well.." Red Skull gains his smug look back. "It will be very hard to find you." He motions for the soldiers to leave. Once they do, a doctor comes into the room.

"I'm a super soldier, so what? Steve is and you haven't kidnapped him," Heather says, keeping an eye on the doctor.

"Yes, but you were easier to acquire. Additionally.." He reaches up and touches where she got hit by the shelving. Heather tries to lean away, but he holds her head down, examining it. "..Not even Captain America could get hit like you were and have barely a scab in the time you have," he says to himself.

Heather closes her eyes, trying to ignore him. Red Skull nods to the doctor. Heather's head is secured underneath a strap, much like the one over her abdomen. She opens her eyes, wondering what's going on.

The doctor takes a wipe and cleans up the blood around Heather's mouth. But then he opens her mouth and has a small drill. "..W-What's that?"

Red Skull looks back at Heather, who is trying not to show how panicked she is. He waves the doctor off. "Will you try to escape?" he asks Heather.

"..No offense, but you don't have the best hospitality," Heather says, "and I have people waiting for me at home."

"Then this is a precaution," he says, motioning to the doctor again. Heather can't move her head. She watches the drill disappear into her mouth.

'Don't scream, don't scream, don't show how sc-' The drill touches one of her teeth and Heather forgets what she was coaching herself with.

She closes her eyes and screams, with Red Skull sneering just a few feet away from her.

* * *

 **Heather is not going down without a fight. She's in a strange place, surrounded by Hydra agents, and she's _mad_. Do _not_ mess with her!**

 **I was going to have her not scream, but let's be honest, Heather isn't _that_ strong. Her tooth is being drilled into, that's uncomfortable even with pain killer.**

 **~CtW**


	21. Chapter 20

**Back to the Tower.**

* * *

Tony walks back into the room. Steve looks up, spots of red in his eyes. Natasha, Sam, and Banner all look up. "..Well?" Steve asks.

"..Security is airtight," Tony answers. Steve closes his eyes. "There is no way they could have known you would have been gone that day ahead of time."

"Unless they set up the info," Natasha finishes, "they sent you on a wild goose chase," she looks at Steve.

"That means they are powerful," Tony adds, "and experienced."

"Hydra, it has to be," Sam states from his chair, "but.. who is the leader of Hydra now?"

"We need to find her," Steve says, "as of yesterday."

"I have Jarvis sweeping for anything that can help," Tony says.

"I'll call Fury, he may have a few assets we can use," Natasha says, standing up. She walks out of the room, taking out her phone. Steve is still holding Heather's phone.

Sam looks at the other two. "..Bruce, can you help me with that.. Project."

"Which project?"

"The.." Tony sighs and takes a fist and pats his arm with it. He then motions up to the laboratories. "Project."

Bruce suddenly gets it, "Yes, that project. Yes, I'll be right up."

"Now, Bruce," Tony says. Bruce looks at Steve, then back at Tony, "we'll need it a-sap." Bruce stands up and the two geniuses go to the elevator.

"Steve," Sam says once they are gone.

"She's my responsibility," Steve says. He presses the play button again. Sam reaches over and tries to take the phone. But Steve tightens his grip on it.

" _ **Schhh- This is Heather."**_

"The only person blaming you is yourself," Sam says.

" _ **I'm in trouble. There are at least six strong arms that have tailed me to-"**_

"And if you keeping digging yourself this hole-"

" _ **Hart Avenue … I can't remember the area of New York."**_

"-you won't be able to help Heather once we find her."

" _ **..I can't get out of this, I'm over my head-"**_

"And you are helping no one by listening to that over and over."

 _ **..Find me. -schhhh!"**_

"She needs you," Sam finishes. Steve lets go of the phone.

"She needed me before and I wasn't there."

Sam sits back up after almost falling on the floor. "People make mistakes. Did you think either of you were exempt from that?"

"I.." Steve stands up, "I don't want to have to choose!"

"Between what?"

Steve looks at him, "I went after one person I care about, while endangering another. ..I don't want to have to choose between Heather and Bucky."

Sam sighs, putting a hand on his shoulder, "Who said you had to?"

* * *

After the doctor was finished with Heather, a soldier came in and gave her a heavier dose of whatever knocked her out before. She then wakes up cuffed to a rigid metal chair in the middle of a small room. She moves her jaw gently, the right side of her mouth still aching from the 'precaution' Red Skull wanted installed. She feels with her tongue, but can't tell what they did to her tooth.

'Red Skull. He's alive?' Heather asks. She looks around, noticing the camera in the corner of the room, red light blinking on the side. There is a light fixed into the ceiling, directly above her. She tries to break the thick cuffs over her wrists, but to no avail. She hears the sound of a lock behind her.

Heavy steps walk around until Red Skull is standing in front of her. She pulls at the cuffs harder. But not even the chair moves.

'It must be drilled into the floor,' Heather guesses.

"The cuffs won't break," he tells her, "not even the great Captain America could."

"How are you alive?" Heather asks, "Cap told me you died on the Valkyrie. It's in the history books."

"That shows what he knows," Red Skull says. Heather scowls at him. "..After I picked up the tesseract, it transported me to another world. Eventually, I found my way back to Earth, only many decades into the future."

He walks around Heather, almost like he's scanning her. She holds still, glaring at him until he goes behind her. "..What do you want with me?"

"..What makes your serum different than mine or the Captain's?"

Heather is silent.

"You heal faster, but how much?"

"Why would I tell you?" Heather asks.

"I'm guessing this younger Stark has something to do with it. Or the green beast they named Hulk," Red Skull states, ignoring her completely, "But you are not like them, are you?" He squats in front of Heather, "Do you even _know_ your limits?"

Heather spits on his face. He raises one hand and slaps her. Blood hits the concrete to her right. Red Skull stands up.

"Then I guess we should find out," he states.

"How do you plan to figure that out, Skull?" Heather asks.

"By testing your limits," he answers, "physically."

"You'll only widen them," Heather says, smiling.

He turns around, looking over his shoulder, "We'll see," and leaves the room.

* * *

Steve had stayed at the Tower, trying to help in any way he can with finding Heather. But Tony and Bruce know more about searching than he did and he was advised against getting on his motorcycle and taking off on a random search.

So Natasha had suggested he get some sleep. So Steve returns to the apartment, as much as it pains him to be where he saw Heather last, he needs sleep away from the commotion or he will get none. He leaves his jacket over the couch, his shoes haphazard on the floor as he walks to his room. He falls on the bed, fitful sleep overtaking him.

Steve wakes up to a loud noise. He looks at his alarm, but he then remembers he shut it off so it wouldn't go off while he was away. It says it's Friday in the afternoon, while he came back the night before.

He hears the noise again and then it clicks; someone's knocking at the door. He stands up and walks through the apartment. He opens the door to find five teens standing there. "Hello sir."

"Josh," Steve nods. He then at each in turn, resisting the urge to rub his eye, "August, Nikki, Finn, and.. Jacey?" Jacey nods. "..Come in, come in," he says, opening the door so they don't have to stay crammed in the hallway, "What can I do for you?" He asks once everyone is inside.

"Well.. sir," Josh says, "we were wondering where, where Heather is?"

Steve looks again at each face, all are worried, not even Jacey is smiling.

"She hasn't been at school since Monday and.. August and I tried coming over a couple days ago-"

"No one was home," August answers.

Steve sighs, "..Well, um-"

"Is she okay?" Jacey asks.

Steve tries to find the words, but then shrugs, "I don't know.." He sighs, still exhausted, "please, sit down. Would anyone like something, a snack?"

"No thanks, Mr. Parcel," Finn says, but takes a seat on the couch. Steve moves his shoes and jacket.

"..Did Heather run away?" Nikki asks.

"No," Steve answers, "No, she didn't. She was.. abducted, the authorities believe. They found her backpack behind a store close to school on Tuesday." He gets himself a cup of coffee, which was left in the pot for a while. He adds extra cream to it and heats it up.

"..Do they know who it is that took her?" Josh asks.

"I didn't see an Amber Alert, did you guys?" August asks. Everyone shakes their head.

"No one saw her get taken, so there was no information to look for," Steve explains, "She's just.. gone."

Steve sits on the couch, staring at his coffee. Jacey comes over and sits next to him. She offers him a side hug, which he accepts. Then she stands up again.

"Want us to help look for her?" Finn asks.

"..I don't think you can help," Steve says, "it's very likely she isn't even in New York anymore."

August watches him, just staring into his cup like he's as helpless as he believes them to be. "..We're sorry for bothering you, Mr. Parcel," he says. Steve looks at him, "Would you like us to go?"

"..You do seem tired," Nikki offers, "perhaps, coffee isn't the best remedy?"

Steve sighs, "I guess you are right, Nikki." He stands up, "Thank you, for coming over. I.. I needed it. Heather is lucky to have friends like you to care about her. ..If you hear anything, let me know, okay?"

"You got it, sir," Finn says, saluting.

"It can't be easy losing your daughter like that," Jacey says, "I don't know what my family would do if I went missing." The five then go back out the door. Steve places his cup on the counter and goes back to his bedroom. He lays down.

'Daughter, right. They think Heather is my daughter. Heather Parcel.. And I'm Grant Parcel..' Steve thinks randomly. Then his eyes go wide. He sits up and looks at his dresser, where his phone had been the entire time.

They saw him without his disguise on. It doesn't change his appearance completely, just enough to not recognize him.

'..Did they even notice?' He wonders, 'August did look-'

He falls back onto his bed.

"One problem at a time, Rogers," he scolds himself wearily, "you can only do so much."

* * *

 **What project do you think Tony and Bruce need to work on?**

 **Do you think Steve would have to choose?**

 **What does Red Skull have in mind for Heather?  
also, never call him Red Skull unless you want him to be mad at you. I noticed he was called Red Skull once in the movie and he did not have a pleasant expression after.**

 **And finally, what do you think will happen with her friends?**

 **~CtW**

 **P.S. I have now uploaded everything I have typed for this story. Heather's.. Heather's life is about to get pretty bad, so I am hesitant to write it out. And I want it to be written correctly.  
I could use some encouragement on the matter. And prayers. Thanks!**


	22. Chapter 21

**If Heather ever becomes real and finds out I wrote her story, don't expect to hear back from me.**

* * *

Heather grows bored as nothing happens after Red Skull leaves. But with the boredom, there is apprehension. 'What's going to happen to me?' Heather thinks. Then she shakes her head, 'nothing, because I'm escaping, now.'

She sees the camera. It keeps its lens on her, the only interesting point in the room. She turns her neck and looks at the door. There is a single window at the top, but the rest looks like solid metal. She turns back around, then looks at the cuffs around her wrists. They look like they could come off the chair, but after a good yank, she realizes that however they come off, it isn't by force.

'Okay.. Maybe not right now,' she restates, 'but soon.'

The door opens and she turns to look at them. There are five soldiers in full black gear that walk over to her. One holds a remote. Two hold down her shoulders, while the others take hold of her forearms. The fifth takes out a needle, which causes Heather to try to throw them off, despite she's out numbered with limited movement.

She's drugged again, but she can already feel her immune system kick in. The soldier presses a button on the remote and The cuffs come off the chair. But after pressing another button, the connect to each other like handcuffs, minus the chain in the middle. Heather is pushed through the doorway.

Even though the serum is filtering out the toxin, she is still slow to react to things. Her vision is blurry, so there isn't anything she can focus on for long. There is another door and Heather is brought through it. It is a larger room. At the end of the room, there is a dark window in the wall.

Heather pushes away from the soldiers holding her, but the door is already locked.

"Begin," she hears.

Heather turns around, only to get knocked back, her chin reaching for the ceiling. She moves her jaw around, which she guesses will be bruised, then looks at the person that hit her. "Five against one?" she asks. She ducks at the next one and almost backs into a third, "That's hardly fair."

"Stop moving," one orders.

"Not a great listener," Heather says. She flips over him as he charges, stumbling since she can't use her hands.

Two pairs of hands take her arms and hold them still. Someone on the other side of the glass presses a button, separating the cuffs. But Heather doesn't have any time to move away before they are connected again behind her. The two hold her arms back. She uses them as a support to kick the two in front of her. One behind her kicks out her knee, then other doing the same to her other one. She's on the ground, looking up at the three in front.

"That it?" She asks.

They just sneer. The first punches her in the jaw again. His foot connects with her stomach. Heather tries to duck away or deflect, but all her extremities are restrained. The three take turns beating on her. Heather keeps as quiet as she can, not letting them hear any groans or yelps.

"Stop." Heather looks up from the floor, which is covered in specks of blood. Red Skull had walked through the door. He looks at her, not bothering to squat at her level. "Stand her up."

Heather is hauled up from the floor. She starts to lift a leg, now tingling with pin pricks, to kick him back. But Red Skull steps on her feet, just about crushing her toes. The pain is muted by the fact that she's lost most feeling in them. He takes her chin in his hand and moves her head back and forth.

"Taking the cowards way out I see," Heather says, keeping her eyes trained on him, "what else should I expect from a division of the nazis?"

Red Skull's grip increases in strength. Any tighter, and it would break her jaw.

"I will only be able to handle your tongue for so long, Ms. America-"

"I am not a model," Heather says.

"-so do not test me," he finishes. He lets go and starts to walk away, letting his soldiers finish.

"..I can do this all day," Heather says under her breath.

"What?" Red Skull says, turning around.

Heather looks up at him smiling, "I'm stubborn, trust me."

"You are so much like the Captain, are you?" He asks.

"..What did you expect, Skully-"

This time, it's his fist that connects with her stomach. Heather realizes just how weak the soldiers are compared to him. She tries to get out of the strong grip behind her, but she can't.

He takes her head in both hands and head butts her. The soldiers let go then and back up, giving him space.

"Beating up on restrained girls?" Heather asks, trying to sit up, "that's a cruel hobby, Herr Scarlet." He kicks her, knocking her back down. "..Nnn.. Any chance that the girl can fight back?"

Heather kicks his feet out from under him. She stands up, looking at the soldiers in case they attack. But Red Skull is back up and takes her by surprise.

"Why did Captain America choose a _child_ to give the serum to?" he asks, pinning her to the wall, "if I didn't need you, I wouldn't hesitate to ridding the world of you."

Heather is trying to push him away from her with the cuffs, but he's not done.

"Do you really think he'll save you? He doesn't even know where you are? No one does!"

"Who says I need saving?" Heather asks, "I can save myself, thank you very much."

Red Skull pulls me away from the wall and thrusts me at the soldiers, "Take her back to her cell, if they have what they need that is," he turns to the dark glass. There is a blink from a light above the glass and he motions Heather away. She's given a heavier dose of the toxin and brought to a new room. This one has a meager cot along one wall and another dark window across from it. Heather is pushed onto the bed and the soldiers lock the door as they leave.

Heather takes careful breaths. Everything hurts. Her shirt is lifted because of how she landed and she can see faint bruises appearing. But they won't stay for long. The internal bleeding, which she can only guess to, would take a little longer.

'Raging Headache, welts,' Heather lists off. She runs her tongue around her mouth, 'and a loose tooth. ..The beating of a lifetime..' She then smiles to herself, 'But they should pay closer attention to their belts.'

She feels the small piece of plastic in her hand, and starts pressing the buttons. One of them has to undo her cuffs.

* * *

The small band of scientists on the other side of the glass review what they have written. The subject, labelled 'SD01', had multiple injuries that was mapped out on one of their clip boards. The next had a list of the injuries given in order, as well as how long the experiment lasted.

They walk to another door, which leads to the examination window of SD01's room. They turn on the window, only to gasp. One goes to the PA console on the wall. They turn it on and yell, "SD01 escaped! SD01 is needed alive, do not shoot to kill!"

* * *

The message plays over and over again, sounding in the halls with great urgency.

'SD01?' Heather asks herself, turning a corner, 'that's a stupid name.'

She turns another corner and finds a group of Hydra soldiers waiting.

'Wait.. is that me?' She asks, turning the other way. They chase after her. She ignores every moment of stabbing pain as she tries to find the way towards the exit. 'I'm SD01? They gave me a number!?'

Heather stops running once she reaches a deadend.

'I am _human_ ,' she thinks to herself, 'I am _not_ a _lab rat_!' She races towards the soldiers, bowling them over as she passes, 'I have to get out of here. Where's the exit?'

She stops by some doors, opening them. She takes on a few soldiers when they appear, but they seem to not know where she is exactly.

'Don't they have cameras?' She asks, looking around the hall's ceiling.

"Subject SD01 is in hall 147B.." she hears behind her. She turns around and crushes the soldier's communicator. She punches him, knocking him out.

"Where's the communication room?" Heather thinks out loud, "if I can send a message to Steve-"

A hard rod smacks her in the back of the head. She hits the floor on one knee and rolls. There's one big soldier standing there.

"At least I know you can't kill me," Heather quips, then flips to stand.

She readies herself as he charges. She blocks, but despite his size, he's very fast. Heather can't get a punch or kick in herself. He lands a blow on her cheek. Heather crashes into the wall. He pins her there as more soldiers arrive. One has a syringe.

"..Wait.. let's talk about this-" Heather says as she moves her neck away when they try to insert it, "Can't you find other ways to knock me out?"

She kicks the brute holding her down, then changes course and kicks the person with the needle. He falls back into the soldiers behind him. Heather plants one foot on her opponent's chest, then kicks the other one above it, hitting his head. He doesn't even flinch.

"Really!" Heather yells. She then kicks the spot she should have chosen before. He drops her and she runs. One soldier grabs her and she kicks his knee to get away. But now that they know where she is, black floods the room and doesn't give her a chance to escape.

There's a whistle and a needle embeds in her skin. Another one follows and Heather's vision goes blurry. Black encloses around her, a bright red blurry dot in its center.

* * *

 **Escape attempt!  
** **Or not.**

 **So 'SD01' is short for 'Serum Donor 01' because she's the first (and only, actually) Hydra dehumanizes her for an inhumane experiment.**

 **I may only be able to get one chapter out a day, because I am now posting as I am writing them. But! I have them planned out up to Chapter 29!  
So it's not like I'm making this up as I go.**

 **~CtW**


	23. Chapter 22

**Still on Heather.**

 **She tried right? A+ for effort.**

* * *

'The only thing they seem to be able to knock me out with is that.. toxin,' Heather thinks, looking up. The room is similar to the room with the straight metal chair, her hands in cuffs.

"Ms. America," Red Skull's voice comes through a PA system, "I'll admit to your cleverness, but you'll find this facility a difficult place to get out of."

"Difficult, but not impossible," Heather says back, "I will leave this place someday, count on it."

"Of that I am certain. Which would you prefer: ashes, pieces, or in a bag on the Captain's doorstep?" He asks, "or perhaps in a block of ice? Though, Captain America wouldn't find it as ironic as I would."

Heather clenches her fists, "How about alive, on my own two feet, dragging your crimson butt to where Steve can beat you senseless!"

There's silence from his side. Heather stares at where she found the microphone and speaker on the wall near the ceiling. She tries to turn her head, but she finds that there is something on her temples to restrict her. She looks up as much as she can.

"What is this?" She asks, looking at the chair. It has wires along it, connected to her arms and legs.

"Part of our next experiment," a new voice says.

"And who are you?" Heather asks.

"Doctor Quendel. I was put on this experiment by Herr Shmidt," he says, "now, SD01, are you ready?"

"One, stop calling me that. My name is Heather Morse and I am a human being, not your glorified guinea pig," Heather yells, "Two, aren't doctors supposed to take an oath to do no hard? Three, What am I supposed to be ready for. My answer is still no!"

"We need to see how your body conducts and responds to electricity," a new voice says.

Heather's eyes widen and she starts to rip the cuffs off the chair. 'No no no no nonononono-'

"Begin, doctors," Red Skull says. Heather hears something start up and she jolts at a stream of electricity hits her. She yelps, like she was shocked after Thor rubs his socks over the carpet and taps her.

"Hmm.." one doctor says, reviewing something. Heather takes a few deep breaths. "I think we need to increase the power. SD01 doesn't seem affected."

Heather feels another zap, only it's larger. "Stop this!" She yells when it goes away.

There's another, but for a few seconds longer at the same intensity. Heather whimpers at the feeling. It goes away, "..Stop, please," she says.

"Does it hurt?" Someone asks, as if she was just taking a questionnaire.

"YES!" Heather yells, "Of COURSE it hurts! It's the electric chair, what did you expec-" She cut off by a screech. It came from her own mouth, as the intensity went up a few notches. When it's over, she feels sweat run down her brow. Her head hangs as she tries to even out her breathing.

"A normal person will die at 0.2 amps," a doctor comments, "How would SD01 react to half as much?"

"It may damage the subject too much," another doctor says.

"How about a fourth?" Dr. Quendel suggests. Apparently they agree, because Heather feels 0.05 amps flow into the chair. She sees lightning branches over her eyes, and she can't tell if it is in the room or actually on her eyes. It's gone after a half minute.

When Heather is released from its hold, she tries to take a breath. But it's as if her lungs stopped working. She panics, trashing around because she can't handle anymore. There's a little zap at the end and she takes a deep breath. She gasps at the oxygen entering her lungs.

* * *

There's still a little static going through Heather's system. She moves her finger and feels a zap along the metal, an actual light going between them. Her hair feels stiff and there's sweat running down her face. She doesn't want to move, everything feels like she's been fried.

"That's enough today," the doctor says.

"Do you have sufficient data?" Red Skull asks.

"For now. We may need to review SD01 again when the subject is less... rebellious."

Soldiers enter the room. The wires come off and they hold her firmly as she's led down to her room. She tries to put up a fight, but is significantly different than before. Everything makes her feel like she's cracking, or stiff. She's put on her bed, where she just lays there.

" _And Silven's second place winner is..." Heather holds Kate's hand tight. Heather knows Kate sang her heart out, but she's nervous. "Kate Bells!" The crowd erupts into cheers. Kate starts crying, hugging Heather._

" _Go go," Heather encourages. Kate stands up and walks down the auditorium to the stage. She takes the trophy, beaming._

" _Congrats Katie!" Mrs. Bells yells behind Heather. Kate laughs, more tears coming from her eyes. She shakes hands with the people giving the awards._

" _Finally, in first place.."_

Heather snaps out of it and looks at the ceiling. 'Kate..' she starts crying. The electricity feeling seems to be seeping away, but the aches and pains from the beating before are still there. She figures the scientists are on the other side of the window. She tries to forget about them, closing her eyes and falling back into the memory. 'If only life wasn't so hard..'

 _Heather stands up and walks down to Kate. They hug again. "You did it!" She cheers. Kate is still crying, laughing._

" _Pictures," Mr. Bell says, arriving on the stage with his camera._

" _Right." Heather steps away and lets the father take pictures of his daughter. She holds her trophy proudly. Mr. Bells gives Heather the camera and she takes a few pictures of Kate and her parents, then more of Kate where she's mock posing like a model. They look through them, giggling at the silly ones. Then her mother comes up._

" _Mom! Get pictures with Heather too!" Kate squeals._

 _Heather scoffs, "No, I wasn't on the-" Kate pulls her over. Heather gives in and they get only two serious ones, before they crack and go crazy. Kate picks up Heather for a second, only for Heather to put her best friend in a headlock when she is set down._

" _You did amazing, Kate," Mrs. Bells says, hugging her daughter. Heather takes a picture of the moment._

" _That voice of yours will take you far," Heather comments._

 _Kate hugs her again, "I wish you were up there with me."_

" _I don't want to steal your spotlight," Heather teases, "This is all you. I'm not going to be up there in the future."_

" _Right," Kate jokes, "you'll be too busy_ saving the world."

Heather feels a tear slip down her cheek. 'Look at where I'm at now,' she thinks, 'Kate you'd be so disappointed in me..'

* * *

The door opens again and Heather sits up. It was still the same day, but she was already feeling a little better. The electricity left her numb in a few spots, and she aches from the beating, but after checking herself over, she had found most of the bruises are fading well and any openings in her skin are no longer bleeding.

So she watches the soldiers come towards her. One has a remote, now attached to his belt by a chain. Heather kicks his hand away before he can connect her cuffs. The others hold her down as he recovers and presses the button. Heather feels the magnets connect and lock.

They haul her up and push her out the door, after also drugging her. Heather feels like that's also a test, to see how long it takes her to clear her head. She drags her feet as they lead her around the halls. They arrive at a room.

'Using different rooms each time?' Heather wonders, 'are they trying to confuse me? The halls do that well enough.'

Heather sees that there is a table with a chair along one wall. On it is a pitcher of water, cup, and a range of torture devices. On the far wall, there are two chains attached to the wall.

'..Do they seriously have an entire level for torture?' She is pushed to the chains. She had gained more of her senses back, so she twists around and tries to push them back to the door.

Her back slams against the wall. The cuffs are separated. Her right arm is stretched and pinned to the wall while they attach one chain to her other wrist. She sees two other people come in. One is Red Skull and the other is a higher looking Hydra agent she doesn't recognize.

'It's Hydra, of course they do,' Heather deadpans, answering her own question.

Red Skull sits on the chair, while his associate goes run his hand lightly over his tools. Heather doubles her efforts, gaining her right hand back until they pin her again.

"Have you ever been, tortured, SD01?" the man asks, with an accent she can't identify.

"..I'm not scared of you," Heather says bravely.

He looks up at her, sneering. He answers his own question with, "So, you haven't." He flicks his fingers and the agents turn her to face the wall, pinning her there to attach the chain to her wrist. Her cheek is on the cold concrete until they back off. Both her hands are stretched above her head, the heel of her feet half an inch above the ground.

She hears metal scrape against metal. "What are you doing?" she asks.

She feels a hand on her back, then grimaces as a knife slices through her shirt. It also cuts her bra strap away, exposing and nicking her back. She feels a few strands of her hair brush her ankles. The presence behind her goes away and she hears something else get picked up off the table.

Heather turns her head around, seeing something braided and curled up in his hand. Red Skull sees her eyes go wide. "Maybe this will dissuade you from trying to defy me," he says.

Heather tries to kick back, but once she does, the cuffs cut into her wrists. The whip hits her back. Heather yelps, not ready. The next one overlaps, tearing more skin. Heather feels tears spring into her eyes. The beating before didn't hit anywhere on her back. She feels blood drip down her back. The end of the whip hits her shoulder and she sees the top of the tear.

'Steve..' Heather says, 'If you can hear me, God, please help Steve.' She cries out at the next hit. 'So he can find me. ..Please..'

The torture master hits her a few more times. Heather mutters something to herself.

"Stop." Red Skull stands up and walks over to where Heather can see him. She looks up from where her head is bowed. He regards her with the glass in his hand. "What did you say?"

Heather stares at him, a glare firmly etched between the pain.

"What, did, you, say?" Red Skull says.

Heather spits the floor between them, "Steve will save me and you're going to wish you died in 194- Ahh!" Heather feels the whip embed in her skin.

"How many times do I have to tell you that no one knows where you are?" Red Skull asks.

"As many times as it takes for Steve to suddenly prove you wrong," she answers. Heather looks Red Skull in the eyes, which is honestly hard to do. He just motions to the agent to keep going.

He sits down on the chair and listens to Heather's screams, thinking just how distressed Captain America could be right now.

'He probably doesn't even know I'm alive,' Red Skull muses, smiling. He looks at his watch and stands up, "I have somewhere to be."

"..Sir," the torture master asks, "what are your orders?"

"Until the subject is unconscious," he answers, stepping out the door.

* * *

Heather felt hands on her back, probing, muttering to themselves, scratching on paper. She moaned at the close contact, yelping when there's a particularly wounded spot.

* * *

Heather wakes up, on her cot with the lights on dim. She groans and tries to sit up to relieve the pressure on her stomach. But then she screams at the pain that spikes in her back. She lays back down, taking deep breaths through her nose and out her mouth.

She feels something different, so she moves her arm so she can see it better. There is a short, white sleeve over her bicep. After craning her neck farther to see her back, she can see that she was apparently redressed in something one would wear in a medical ward, red criss crossing her back as no one had dressed her whip marks. She rests her head on the pillow, but then notices one more thing.

Chopped brown falls in front of her eyes. Her hair was cut, it no longer touches her shoulders.

* * *

 **...**

 **I have no words except I am sorry Heather! (I know she's fictional. This is a judgement free zone.)**

 **And yes, Red Skull _revels_ in the fact that he took something of Steve's. He's evil.  
I kind of want Red Skull to be in Infinity War. It makes sense! He's a big time villain of MARVEL.**

 **Well, that's all I got for today. Any questions?**

 **~CtW**


	24. Chapter 23

**A long time has passed since I put another chapter on here.**

 **And I am sorry for that. But now! I have finally finished this chapter, and I am eager to share it with you.**

* * *

After six days of nothing on Heather's whereabouts, or captor, Steve was growing restless. He moved to the Tower, switching from pummelling a punching bag or taking down virtual bad guys with the Mental Landscape Simulator, to leaning against a table in mission command as Jarvis searches for a clue to Heather.

Tony and Bruce are rarely in either areas. Steve snapped by day three and went to the lab to chew them out. He wouldn't listen to Tony, so Bruce pulled him aside to explain their projects. He also says that Jarvis will inform them when he finds something.

Steve left them alone after that. He barely eats, or sleeps. Natasha, Clint, and Sam take turns looking out for him, making sure he does a little of both. But Sam often walks away with more bruises when he offers Steve to spar. Thor had left to Asgard for any answers from Heimdall, but he had yet to return.

Sam sits down in mission command, the only quiet place, even when Steve is there. He hasn't been talkative of late. "Mr. Wilson."

Sam looks up, "Jarvis."

"There was a breach of security in Europe. Unfortunately it has nothing to do with Ms Morse, but-"

"I'll get the team," Sam stands, making his way to the elevator. Jarvis assists him with finding everyone. They all meet up back at mission command. Sam is at the front with Natasha when Steve comes in last.

Everyone goes quiet as he sits down in the front row. "..What?" he asks.

"Steve, we all agree," Natasha says carefully as she motions to the group, "that you should sit this one out. You are emotionally compromised because of the situation."

"And someone needs to stay behind if Jarvis has a lead on Heather," Sam adds. Steve sighs, standing up. Thor stands and pats him on the shoulder.

"Fear not, my friend. There will be plenty more battles to come," he says.

Steve nods and numbly walks away. When Thor arrived, he doesn't know. He doesn't even bother to ask what he learned, if Heimdall was able to help. Steve presses the button for the gymnasium level, but the doors open to his rooms.

"Jarvis," Steve groans.

"I'm sorry, Captain Rogers, but Mr. Wilson, Mr. Stark, and Ms. Romanoff insisted upon it," Jarvis says, "and Dr. Banner's expert advice strongly suggests lots of rest."

"Not good to argue with a doctor," Steve says out loud.

"Of course not, sir."

He walks into the room, looking at Heather's door briefly.

"I will wake you if there is news."

Steve doesn't notice his feet are moving until his calves hit the side of his bed. He lets himself fall onto the large surface, hearing the quinjet take off overhead.

* * *

"Kyah!"

"Again."

"Kyah!"

"Next."

"Kyah!"

"Again."

"Kyah!"

"Good."

Josh and August bow to Master Ikeda, "Master," they say in unison. She bows back, then allows them to be dismissed.

She walks away as Josh goes to the walk in closet in the next room. He opens one of the coolers and takes out two water bottles. He walks back to the dojo.

August is going over what they learned that day, in stance on one of the practice mats. Josh leans his back against the wall next to the open archway.

"You might as well say it," he says.

"Why doesn't anyone believe me?" August asks, not pausing his his katas.

Josh sighs, "Look, we're all worried about Heather-"

"There is nothing on police servers about a missing person for Heather. Not even one for someone of Heather's description! It makes no sense." August moves into another kata, "And then there is the matter with," he pauses to do air quotes, "'Mr. Par-'"

Josh intervenes, grabbing August's wrist. August uses that to flip Josh onto his back. Josh sweeps his feet out and straddles August, pinning his legs and arms on the mat.

"It's been a week, I know. Heather hasn't been found, there aren't any leads that we know of-"

"Because no one is looking," August fills in, "they aren't aware of the situation."

"-but now is not the time for your suspicions," Josh gets up. He picks up the water bottles, throwing one to August. He catches it as he rolls onto one knee.

"He looked like Steve Rogers, Josh," August says after a drink.

"Have you ever seen him without his mask?" Josh asks.

"There are pictures on the internet," August argues, standing up, "he's a war hero, a legend. Why is it so hard to believe me? Have my observations _ever_ been wrong?"

"I can name a few times," Josh jokes. "But August, if that really is Captain America, who does that make Heather?" he asks, trying to dissuade his brother.

"..And is that her real name?" August thinks after a moment.

Josh turns around, not wanting to hear another word. August follows him into the next room.

"I know you like her-" Josh turns and looks at August, confused. "..care about her. Somewhat," August corrects, "but you may not know the real her at all." August scoffs, "she may not even be missing."

"Hey!" Josh turns to him sharply, "He -whoever he is- clearly cares for Heather. So if he was barely functioning the last time we saw him.."

August sees the concern in his big brother's face. He's been a compassionate person for a long time, even if he doesn't show everyone.

"It can't be good." The boys turn to look at their mentor and mother figure. Master Ikeda is sitting on a meditation mat near the wall. She has her eyes closed. "That is what you were going to say, wasn't it, Joshua?"

The boys walk over, sitting on their knees in front of her. "What do we do, Master?" Josh asks.

"What have you done so far?"

August pipes up, "I've searched the police radios for any missing person cases, and Rick hacked into their database briefly to check for her file. Both came up empty. We had visited Mr. Parcel and called his home, but when Josh tried going again a few days ago, no one was home. I checked back later at the windows. No one is staying there."

"..Is that all?"

The brothers share a look, "Is there anything we should have done?"

Master Ikeda sighs, "I'm afraid not. You were not there when she disappeared, so you are not witnesses. No one appears to be staying at the apartment, so if you notify the police without any evidence, then it will look like they just moved away. You can't contact her father, so there is nothing you can do."

Josh looks down while August stands up. Master Ikeda looks at her eldest charge and places a hand on his shoulder.

"I am sorry, Joshua. I can only guess as to how much you care about this girl."

"She was.. interesting," Josh explains, "she didn't tell us much, but she acted with her heart."

"Even when it wasn't the right thing," August adds from the other room.

"You don't understand, you never use your emotions!" Josh yells to him.

"Because emotions in battle are dangerous," August says. He looks at his master for confirmation, "you need to keep your head in the fight, because emotions are irrational and can get you killed."

Master Ikeda nods once, "Emotions are not favorable, but you do not want to be a heart of stone, in or outside of a fight."

Both boys nod.

"She was also strong," Josh says, " _one_ punch shattered that guy's nose?"

"I know what we are," August points out, "so I think we can all agree that Heather isn't just a teenage girl with a good arm."

"He thinks that Mr. Grant Parcel is Captain America," Josh says.

"I am well aware, Joshua," Master Ikeda turns to August, "Augustus, do you have proof?"

August sits back down in front of her, "The last time we saw him, he looked different. He sounded the same, his build was the exact same, but his hair was a different color and his face shape was less rectangular."

"You are saying?" Master Ikeda asks.

"That he is not who he says he is. Either he is Steve Rogers who had a disguise of some kind, or he is someone that changes his shape."

"We only know one person that can do that, and we know it isn't her," Josh points out.

"So is it someone else, or is it the Avenger?" August asks.

Master Ikeda puts her hand up to silence them, "There is no way to know for sure. Since there is nothing we can do, it is best to be patient and wait for an opportunity. But that does not mean neglecting anything else."

"Yes, sensei." They both stand and bow.

"I believe you two have homework to finish?"

"Yes Mom," Josh says, smiling. Master Ikeda smiles at him and the boys walk up the stairs to the garage. Josh takes a drink from the bottle in his hand. "Are you still going to patrol close to the apartment? Or are you going to be a baka and try to break into the Avenger's Tower?"

"We can't do that without Mr. Sallow," August says, "and Rick can't get passed their security. They must have an AI-"

"You've tried already?" Josh asks in a harsh whisper, pulling him into the house.

"We barely got anywhere," August says, "it was just a test run."

"That was dangerous!" Josh yells.

August tosses his empty bottle away. "I'm being careful. We need to know if there is something big coming, don't we? If the Avengers are scoping out a shape shifter-"

"Then they can handle it," Josh says, "They are the Avengers, after all."

August sighs, and goes to look for his bag.

"Hey," Josh says with a hand on August's arm, "I know you are the leader of this group, but I'm your older brother. I'm trying to watch out for you, okay?"

"..Okay. I'll lay off. But something doesn't feel right. Can't you sense it too?"

"Yeah, August, I can."

* * *

Steve had gotten a few hours of sleep. When he woke up, Jarvis told him that there was a meal waiting for him on the mess hall level. Steve listens and sits down in front of it.

But he doesn't enough in his stomach to suit his super soldier needs. Steve starts to go to the gym, but Jarvis reroutes the elevator to take him to the pent house.

Steve steps off, seeing the Quinjet arrive. Sam steps off and looks at Steve; it is not a good look.

"What happened?" Steve asks. He does a head count, finding everyone is there. Sam puts a hand on his shoulder.

"..Steve," he says. He then presses something into Steve's hand. He looks down.

It's a patch, ripped from the shoulder of a uniform. The fabric is black and there is the Hydra symbol on it; the _original_ Hydra symbol. They had subtly changed it throughout the decades, but this one looked like the symbol that Steve saw in WWII.

Steve looks up, "Why are they-?" Steve looks up at Sam, wide eyed, "No…"

"Apparently yes," Tony says, "a couple of them were all, 'Hail Hydra, Hail the Red Skull,' before I blasted them," Tony says, mocking the soldiers.

Steve glares at him, then takes a breath, "There is no chance that Red Skull is back. There can't be!"

"You came back," Natasha states.

"But I saw him disintegrate," Steve points out.

"Was he holding the tesseract?" Thor asks.

"Yes," Steve says.

Thor sighs, "Then your foe did not disintegrate as you think. The tesseract is the infinity stone of space. Just like it was a doorway for Loki to come to Midgard-"

"It sent Red Skull who knows where," Clint continues, "and somehow, he ended up back on Earth, present time."

"Looks like you aren't alone after all, Capsicle."

"Can't you take this seriously for once!" Steve yells. Everyone stares at Steve.

Tony glares back, "Do you think I wanted her to be captured, Steve? You aren't the only one that cares about her!"

"We will find Heather," Natasha tells them, "but only if we work together!" She and Clint walk over to the elevator.

When the doors close, he asks, "But what condition will she be in?"

* * *

 **What condition indeed.**

 **And that is my theory for what happened to Red Skull.  
Look it up, the tesseract is the infinity stone of space.**

 **Steve is not looking good. Think he'll snap out of it?**

 **Until next time! (Hopefully that is sooner rather than later)**

 **~CtW**


	25. Chapter 24

**Another chapter up today? Wow! I can't believe it!**

 **Warning: suggested mature content. It doesn't actually happen, just, be aware.**

* * *

Heather peeks down the hallway. A group of soldiers pass her. When they go around the next corner, she crosses the section and keeps going. She steps into a closet and closes the door. Another group of soldiers pass her.

"Someone that injured doesn't just disappear," one says as they pass.

"She is a super soldier. And I hear she heals fast."

"Why do you think she's here, stupid!" The first yells. Their voices go away.

Heather sighs and reaches back. Due to not being able to move, Heather was left to heal. Of course, she could almost feel the stares of the scientists as they observed her. They even came into her room to probe her back and bruises.

That made it easy to escape. She faked just how much pain she felt, and a scientist came in. He assured the guard that 'SD01' is too much in pain to move. Heather waited until the door closed and he was at her back when she pinned him down and forced him to give her his key card. She then opened the door and ran.

She may have healed a great deal, but it still hurt. "Okay.." She says, steadying herself, "find communications. Then you can get a message to Steve."

She peeks out the door. No one is in the hallway yet, so she starts down the hall and tries to find a sign that says 'Communications.'

A door opens up and she can't find a place to hide. So Heather gets into stance as four soldiers step in front of her. "It's SD0-" The one to speak first is the first to be tackled. Heather feels a hand clamp onto her shoulder, hoisting her off. She spins around, and punches him in the face.

'I'll regret that move later,' she decides, feeling the splits in her back stretch. The next soldier takes out a knife and Heather has to bend and avoid the knife while keeping track of the other three. Heather grabs his wrist and pushes him away, where he trips on the soldier on the floor.

Heather feels a stab in her side. She yells and falls forward. She lands on her knee, the blade coming out. She falls onto her uninjured side and kicks up. Her bare foot connects with his protected chin. His back hits the wall and he shakes his head to clear white dots in his vision.

Heather starts to get back up, but the other two soldiers each have two knives out. 'Come on,' she whines internally, sighing. She blocks one knife, only to be stabbed by a different one. She kicks the person and takes the knife out. She uses it to block another. But she can only track what's in front of her, so she feels two stabs behind her. One is under her shoulder blade, the other is on her leg.

She feels a third in her stomach and she gasps. They take out the two behind her, but leave the third one in her. She falls to the ground, pools of blood forming on the ground. She looks up and sees a door with a sign that says 'Communications' next to it.

'So close..' She sighs. Her arms are pulled behind her and she's stood up. She yelps at her injuries.

"Walk, SD01," a soldier behind her says. Heather's vision is blurry. Someone kicks her foot forward, but that only makes her slump down. Her vision is speckled with black.

"Lay her down," one says. Heather feels the cool floor and warm wet blood on her back.

'Fight,' she tells herself, 'you're so close, just get up and run to the room. Contact the Avengers. Even if you can't say anything, they'll check it out anyway.'

But she can't bring herself to move. She's picked up and placed on a stretcher. They carry her to a very white room and a doctor comes in. He looks over her injuries, with her wrists and ankles secured to the table with straps. He cleans around the first wound and starts stitching it up.

"You can't help but try to get in trouble," Red Skull says the moment he walks through the door. Heather glares at him. The doctor tugs on the thread, making Heather groan. "I think I underestimated you, Ms. America."

"Stop calling me that," Heather says through gritted teeth.

"And you think the Avengers will come," he says, amused.

"They will find me," Heather replies, "I may not even have to send them a message, they are probably already on their way."

"Do you really believe that?" Red Skull asks. Heather stares at him. Somehow he can see that she's partially bluffing. She doesn't know if the Avengers have any clue to where she could be. But she's staying as optimistic as she can.

"Yes sir," the doctor says. Heather hadn't noticed that Red Skull was talking to him.

"And make sure she doesn't die," Red Skull asks.

"You will underestimate all of them," Heather says.

Red Skull turns around, "I think I know each of the Avengers well enough. Captain America hasn't changed. There's another Stark, one who has a suit he's completely dependent on. A monster of a genius man, but he probably won't be in the field due to his.. Problem. A Demi-god of Norse origin, an assasin, much like the Winter Soldier Hydra had created, and apparently gave away," Red Skull lists off, "a master archer, and-"

"Hawkeye is more than an archer," Heather defends.

"-finally," Red Skull says, ignoring her, "a man with mechanical wings. ..Did I miss anybody, Ms. America?"

Heather raises her chin so she looks less in pain than she is, "One super pissed off super soldier, who -despite her pacifist tendencies- has a knack of holding violent grudges against those that hurt those close to her."

"If you are referring to me, what have I hurt?"

"You created an organization that is responsible for destroying a chance at a normal life for my family, created a monster that took my sister's innocence, and keeps me far away from them," Heather says, "you are in a very dangerous situation."

Red Skull chortles as he walks forward, "As true as that all may be, Ms. America," he bends down so she can see every wrinkle in his burnt skin, "You lost."

"You still underestimate me. I'll get out of here, with or without the Avengers help," Heather says, right before yelping at the cleaner the doctor put on a wound.

Red Skull tsks, making Heather look back at him with a hand, "You are terrible at bluffing, Ms. America. I suggest you never gamble." He lets go of her head and exits the room. Heather lets her head fall back onto the table.

'I am terrible at bluffing,' Heather thinks. She closes her eyes, feeling only the needle in her side and the doubt gripping her heart.

* * *

Heather passes out at some point while the doctor was sewing her up. She wakes up in her cell, on the now blood soaked cot. She doesn't try to get up, but lifts her head a little. She's in the same clothes as before, still covered in blood with slices in the fabric. She fingers one of the cuts, feeling no bandages underneath, only a neat row of stitches. She leans her head back and stares at the ceiling.

'Good thing the light is off,' Heather quips to herself, 'I won't be blinded by the dim lighting.' She chuckles, but she stops because of the ache in her side. She stares at the ceiling, physically feeling the seconds pass by.

* * *

Heather's stomach rumbles. Heather guesses that they feed her twice a day, to keep her energy up at somewhere normal. But since she tried to escape, no one had come to give her food. No one had come at all, except to change who watched her.

"Guard change," someone says outside her door, right on time. There's a shuffling of feet, then it's quiet.

"She's such a little spit fire," a guard says.

"But be careful," his partner says, "she might actually spit fire."

They laugh as Heather scowls. 'I wish, stupid,' she thinks.

"She's in there now, right?"

"Would we be standing here if she wasn't?"

"Right. But.. I've never actually-" One of their heads appears in the window. "It's too dark."

"What? You don't know what she looks like?"

"Not really."

"For super soldiers, she's probably one of the better looking ones," the second says, "but then again, she's the only girl I know of, so that adds to it."

"So?"

"So, what?"

"What does she look like?"

There's silence. "..Why don't I show you?"

Heather's eyebrows go up, "I don't think we are allowed to go in there."

"It's going to be a few days until they try anything else," Heather hears, "they're just starving her for now, while the brains watch her from the window. If they can see her, why shouldn't we?"

"Aren't they in there now?" Heather hears a jingling of keys.

"Nah, they are probably with some other poor 'patient.' She's all ours until the next shift. ..What are you so afraid of? I've been in this hell hole for almost half a month. Until I'm shipped out of here, it's guys, guys, and girls so strict I can't touch them with a ten foot pole."

"Geesh, didn't need a description. Yeah, I'm with you." The door opens. Heather looks up at them. "Hi, SD01," the first says, suddenly over his nerves.

Heather glares at them.

"Close the door," the second says. He walks over to Heather, taking his gloves off, "You got no where to go, and no savior to rescue you," he says slowly, looking Heather over.

She tenses under his gaze.

The door slams open, "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Heather looks at the new person, her glare turning to stone. Bryce stands there, in Hydra gear, smiling as easily as he did before. His nose is still a little crooked, but the bandages are gone.

"Herr Schmidt ordered that no one touch her," Bryce says. He looks at the two. "Get back to your guard duty."

"Yes sir, Agent Rumlow," one salutes. The other follows him out. One stands on either side of the door. Bryce steps in and closes it. He pockets the keycard and turns to look at Heather.

"Aww, don't look at me like that," Bryce says. He sits down under the window. "What I said was true. I can't touch you." He smiles wickedly, "doesn't mean I can't imagine it though."

Heather wants to puke.

"Speaking of imagining, could you have figured that we'd end up here?" Bryce looks around, leaning back casually, "I was really surprised to learn you were a super soldier. I didn't really like your description of me. Didn't leave a very good impression with my new boss."

"You're Brock Rumlow's nephew," Heather points out.

"Yep. My parents thought I was lost for ten years," Bryce says, whistling, "But I know the truth. Hydra is going to run this world, the right way. And I was given the honor to be apart of it."

He stood up, pacing slowly, "Of course, my parents didn't believe me when I got home, so-" he snapped his fingers, "I didn't think too much about them after I got out of prison."

"How did you get out?" Heather asks.

"Uncle had a few strings still in Hydra. It was so easy, it was comical," Bryce laughs for a moment. Then he turns to Heather and squats next to her cot. "I want you to know something. I would have loved to see those two tear you apart, I would have."

A chill runs up Heather's spine.

"But I'm sticking to the rules, but once that rule no longer applies, you're mine."

Heather tries to burn a hole in his head.

He leans closer, "Because what I'd love more, is to _be_ the one, that tears you apart." He stands up. "I'll see you then, _Ms. America_. Because then, you'll be as broken as your _little 'sister_ ,'" he uses quotes.

"We'll settle this right now!" Heather says, trying to sit up. Bryce walks backwards to the door, watching her struggle and groan. She then stops and looks at the cot below her as the door opens. "You know what Bryce, you're right. I can imagine too." She looks up, "I can imagine making you suffer over, and over again. Everything I go through, everything I have to endure, you will go through a thousand times worse pain. The only difference is no one can save you, while I-"

"Heather, sweetheart," Bryce interrupts, "no one is saving you. Accept the facts, the world just ain't fair." He smiles brightly, then slams the door shut.

* * *

 **Bryce is proving, yet again how he is the worst character I have ever written.**

 **Heather tried to escape again, only it didn't go as planned.**

 **And now she's been starved. Great. (sarcasm!)**

 **So, I think this is all I'll get written for this today.**

 **Bye!**

 **~CtW**


	26. Chapter 25

**This is a major turning point.**

 **...I have no words.**

 **None.**

 **...**

 **..Just read it already!**

* * *

Heather is dragged down the hallway, new scrapes and bruises smarting on the way. Heather's head is hanging to the side. She opens her eyes and looks at the wall as she passes by. There are other doors, open and empty, with the typical interrogation table in the middle.

Her cell was one of these, with the only difference being the uncomfortable cot. Heather is dragged into said room and dropped on the floor. Heather wants to jump up and fight them all, but she can't. They had given her more injections after apprehending her. They are up to seven shots now, since her body is fighting back and is getting rid of the toxin faster than they wish.

"Go inform Herr Schmidt that SD01 is in her containment," a soldier says. The person he was talking to salutes, then races off to find his superior. Heather turns over onto her back, cringing at the clouds in her head. She can feel the pain in her back and through her digestive system from recent experiments. Her body had stopped jumping from the taser, even though it didn't do anything to impede her fighting.

Heather doesn't try to sit up, she only supports herself on her elbows for a few seconds, then results to laying her ripped up back onto the ground below her.

A new posse of boots arrive and someone sighs. "I am very disappointed in you, Ms. America."

'Stop calling me that!' Heather yells in her head. She doesn't look up at him, only staring at the ceiling.

"You need to learn your place in the world, the new world I will bring about very soon."

"You are the one that hasn't learned anything," Heather manages to get out, feeling the fog clear, "You're sloppy, Red Skull."

Red Skull clenches his jaw, "You only reached the second hallway this time, but I believe you are right. After fourteen days since your first attempt, I haven't added extra measures to ensure you can't escape."

"Pain is in the mind. Punishments won't change my behavior," Heather says, arrogant in her claim.

Red Skull holds his hand out. Heather looks up at the sound of a gun being pulled from its holster. The nearest soldier hands the gun to Red Skull, who aims at Heather. He shoots, the bullet driving into Heather's shoulder.

"AH!" Heather clutches her shoulder with her opposite hand, backing up to the wall out of instinct. But it only makes her cornered.

Red Skull looks at her, thinking, "Not even that will stop you, will it?"

Heather looks up at him, using her pain to harden her glare. She had already been shot today, the streak of red along her shorn hair is proof. Someone had aimed from down the hall, foolishly going for a headshot. But they missed and it only burned her skin.

It still stings.

Red Skull looks her over, thinking. Heather takes a quick glance behind him, seeing Bryce in full Hydra gear and helmet standing in the group of soldiers just outside the door.

BANG!

Heather screams suddenly. She looks at the point of searing pain; her left knee. She had brought her knees up in a vain effort to protect her vital organs. There is a hole streaming red, with tiny shards of bone as well. Heather's head is pulsing and she continues to make noises of discomfort and pain.

Tears fall down her cheeks and along her nose. She looks up at Red Skull.

He's aiming again.

He shoots her knee again. Heather screams even louder. feeling her whole leg on fire. Her bicep stings, because the second bullet when straight through, grazed her arm, and embedded itself into the wall. The first bullet was pushed out by the second and is now a mangled piece of metal on the floor.

Heather stares at the new hole, pain overwhelming her senses. She can taste copper and salt. She hears an echo in her mind of the bones breaking, as well as the gun going off. The fire races down her leg, she can feel it in the tips of her toes. She has to close her eyes at the destroyed part of her leg, blown open by the bullet. She wrinkles her nose at the smell of something faintly burning.

She hears footsteps leaving. 'Don't let him think he's won,' she tells herself. She forces herself to look up at Red Skull, with a defiant face despite the gripping pain and the black rimming her vision. He only looks on with a satisfied gaze.

Heather realizes that was a foolish idea. "As I said, Ms. America," he says, "you are terrible at bluffing." He turns around and walks out of the room. The remaining soldiers follow after. Heather sees Bryce staring at her, a deep smirk covering his features.

Heather looks away and the door closes. Heather tries to bend her leg, but she can't. She cries out at the pain. The door opens again. She looks up. To her horror, the group of scientists have come to evaluate her.

They walk over and Heather wants to fight them off. But her newest injury results in pain no matter how she moves. That doesn't stop them though. They prod her knee, they look inside the holes, and they even try to bend it.

Heather's screaming the entire time. She can feel every shard of bone in her knee scraping against each other. She has never known a pain like this.

Heather's clenching her teeth as hard as she can, on the verge of breaking them. She lashes out, pushing one of the scientists away with a pained growl. Heather is surprised that she even made such a noise, but doesn't think twice about it.

The scientists stare at her, then one raises a hand. He slaps her on the cheek. "Feral child," he scorns. Heather doesn't think about what she's doing. She only remembers the cat Kate had once brought home from the shelter and it didn't like her dad. Every time he got too close, it would hiss.

Just like Heather did now. She doesn't know if it was to mock the scientist's analysis of her, or to prove it. The scientists called for a couple soldiers to hold her down. They had to call one more for the third limp not injured beyond movement. Heather was pinned, not like she would thrash much.

When the scientists were finally done with her, they muttered about, 'irreparable,' 'not much chances,' and 'seeing what would happen.' The soldiers picked Heather up and didn't think much about her comfort as they dropped her on the cot. Heather screamed, shamefully letting out a few curse words in her mania. She puts her hands near her knee, but doesn't touch it. They just hover there, not able to do anything to help.

She dares to put one on her knee. She cringes at the feeling of bones moving at the slightest touch. She tries to move one to where she thinks it should go, but cries out again at the increase of pain. She leaves it in the bent position and focuses on her breathing. She smears the tears around her face, as if it could help in anyway. She feels something sticky on her hands, so she tries to look at them in the now dark room.

There is a dark liquid on her fingers. She rubs them on the sheets below her, but no doubt they will still be stained red. She cries harder, realizations flooding in.

'I can't escape now. I can't move. My leg will take forever to heal, if it ever will.' She sobs. 'It's been fourteen days, is..' Heather closes her eyes, asking for forgiveness at the question that suddenly plagued her mind. 'Is Steve even looking?'

* * *

 ***sobbing quietly* Heather... *sniff* she's always trying to escape, always putting up a fight..? *deep breath***

 **I.. I wasn't going to do this. But then I was thinking about something that happens later (Much later, not in this story)  
And I was like "No."  
But then I was like, "Maybe?"  
And then I was like, "I can't do that."  
But finally I was like, "..I can't talk myself out of it. ..Fine! I'll do it."**

 **And here we are! I've put her in a very... it's a...  
Let me put it this way, _NO ONE_ wants to be in her position. I think that statement is accurate.**

 **I could actually feel my left knee tighten up as I wrote this. Strange, right? ( _Dr._ Strange.. Hehe, I couldn't help myself! :P)**

 **Well, that's all for today. I think I've tortured you readers (And Heather, ...Okay, not really) enough for now.  
Plus.. There's a few details for the next one that I haven't figured out yet.**

 **Guess who you learn more about in the next chapter? Please actually guess, I really want to know who you think I mean.**

 **~CtW**


	27. Chapter 26

**Back for the next chapter. It took me days to get details squared away. I may make pictures.. someday. But whether or not they end up on the internet remains to be seen. They may just be for me to look back at.**

 **Hope you like it! We needed a little bit of time away from Red Skull's cruelty.**

* * *

High above the constant pulse of cars, five figures are situated on the flat roof of a skyscraper. One sits perched on the beams holding up the water tower, snacking on a granola bar. She's watching the two kneeling on the ground, drawing out something. The one in brown touches the comm under his hood.

"You have the boosters in the right place?" A voice comes through.

"Yes Command," the second person, who is the member that is the most vibrant of color.

"Did you draw the fuel? If it has no fuel-"

"Will it work if the gauge says it's full?" The brown clad member asks.

Command sighs, "Yes, that will work. It's thick enough to hold someone, right Starry? Is it all to scale?"

Starry Knight, the red, blue, yellow, and green dressed person, quickly checks the measurements. "It is," he answers.

"I think it's ready then," Command says.

Starry rolls up the blue print Command sent with them, "Thanks for the help, Emerald Tiger," he says, handing the paper to him. Emerald Tiger takes it and stows it in his brown ninja robe. The hood is over his eyes, masking his face. Most of the hems along the robe and hood are tinted deep green.

Starry Knight stays by his creation on the floor, while Emerald looks up at the girl. She's on her second granola. "How's the food, Animalia?" He asks.

She smiles. "Not as sweet as I'd like," she answers.

"Gather your strength up," Emerald tells her, then turns around. Another teammate, Proton-ess, is sitting on the edge of the tower. While she was waiting, she had taken out a piece of iron and was testing with it. She puts it between her gloves and concentrates.

There is a hissing noise and she opens her hands as hydrogen comes out between her fingers. In one of her gloved palms, there is a mound of nickel. The new element has a smaller mass than the iron. She puts it between her palms again and closes her eyes. After a new hiss of hydrogen, there is an even smaller amount of zinc in her palm.

She looks up after Emerald Tiger stares a little longer. She nods and he nods back.

"Okay," the four look at the fifth person; the leader of their team.

He stands in his black attire, with highlights a deep blue peppered around the fabric. His mouth and nose are covered by a bandana, while his eyes have goggles over them, allowing him to see in the dark. He looks out across the landscape, feet planted shoulder width apart, at their target; Avengers Tower.

He turns to look at his team, "Let's go over the plan again. Animalia?"

She perks up from her perch, "I fly to the tower and find a vent on the eleventh level, then open a window for you to come in."

The leader nods, "And I'll be with you for that."

"The hover board will carry you, while Animalia can't," Starry Knight adds.

"You'll get inside the Tower after Command and AC hack into their system and reroute the security somewhere else," Emerald Tiger continues.

Proton-ess stands up, "And the rest of us are back-up while you and Animalia find the target."

"This isn't a mission that requires the whole team," she's reminded.

Proton-ess nods, "I understand that."

"Then what's wrong?"

"..Are you sure about this?"

Command speaks last, "Animalia and Ghost will wait until I tell them that I have the data, then they will exit from the same place, and come back."

"Everyone understand?" Night Ghost asks. The other four nod. "Okay, let's go." Animalia stands up on the beam. She jumps off and changes into a falcon in mid air. She beats her wings to hover for a second, then takes off after the Tower. Starry Knight puts a hand on the drawing of the hover board. It slowly rises out of the concrete roof, already prepped for a rider.

"It could have dried a little more," he tells Night Ghost, "but it will have to do. Command will have to work fast."

"Good thing Alpha Charlie is helping him," Emerald Tiger says. Night Ghost picks up the board. He sets it on the edge. He steps on and looks at his wrist. On the panel set there, he presses a button. His clothes and skin change to a translucent gray and he pushes off. The board zooms through the air, louder than he was hoping it would be. The cloth around his face ripples against the wind.

He comes up to the Tower, turning the hover board so he slows down. Animalia is waiting at the vent, de-transformed. She points to a window and he nods. Night Ghost touches his comm through the bandana, "Whenever you're ready AC."

"Hold on, this is going to take a little," Alpha Charlie says through the comm. There's clacking of a keyboard, and then he gasps, "Get out of there, now!"

"Why?"

"I knew this would happen, no one just breaks into Avengers Tower," AC mutters loudly to himself.

Night Ghost was about to ask what he was talking about, but then he sees the Iron Legion bots coming out of the giant A about him. "Animalia, time to go!" He flies over to her. She leaps onto the board and he speeds to the team on the roof.

"Apprehend the intruders," A Legion bot tells the others. Night Ghost tries to out maneuver them, but with Animalia clinging on behind him, he is limited. Then he looks down.

"Oh that's just great," he mutters. The board was once black with streaks of red and green. But now it's turning white at the tip. The white passes his boots and the board crinkles under his weight.

"Ghost?" Animalia asks, noticing it too.

Ghost looks up and sees the rooftop in jumping distance. "Jump!" He pushes off and his fingers grab the edge. Emerald Tiger pulls him over, looking at the bots surrounding them. Animalia lands on the roof, changing back from her hawk form. The team of five stare at the bots.

Proton-ess takes out an element, clenching it in her hands. "No," Tiger says. She looks at him, "we have no reason to fight them." He holds his hands up, "We surrender!" He yells. The other three look at Ghost. He nods and raises his hands.

"We surrender," he repeats.

* * *

The team is brought to the detention level of the Tower, where villains -or intruders- can be brought for questioning before being shipped to the appropriate facility. They are each placed in different cells in the same hallway. The doors are made of bullet proof glass.

"Everyone alright?" Night Ghost asks, from the farthest cell.

"I'm okay," Emerald Tiger answers.

"They didn't hurt me," Starry Knight answers.

"Same here," Proton-ess and Animalia say at the same time. Night Ghost sits down on the bench provided and closes his eyes.

"…What do we do now, Ghost?" Animalia asks.

"…Maybe the Avengers will help us?" Starry Knight suggests, "I mean, they are-"

"Or maybe we are wasting our time," Proton-ess counters. She paces from the door to the back wall of her cell. "Am I the only one thinking that?"

"No." Everyone turns to the direction Night Ghost's voice comes from. "I've been thinking it too. And now our entire operation may be in jeopardy, because of something that wouldn't leave me alone. …I'm sorry."

"Can you say that again?" Night Ghost smiles to himself at Emerald Tiger's antics.

The door to the detention room opens. The large area in the middle is filled by a man in a red and yellow suit, a girl with bright red hair and a black uniform, a man with a similar uniform, only with purple highlights and quiver, a scientist, a man with wings, and Thor.

"The Avengers…" Starry Knight says to himself.

Black Widow ignores him, "What are you doing trying to break into Avengers Tower?"

"And who are you?" Hawkeye adds.

Night Ghost stands up and places his gloved hands on the glass. "We aren't trying to hurt you. We aren't a threat."

"By how fast it took for you to get caught-" Ironman crosses his arms, "-I'm not surprised. My Iron Legion was alerted the moment you touched the building."

"We are looking for information, on a friend," Emerald Tiger answers, "We thought your servers would have more access than ours."

"Again, I'm not shocked."

"Is Cap coming?" Black Widow asks.

"He'll be here. He needs something to take his mind off-"

The door opens again and Steve walks in, being the only Avenger not in uniform. He looks at Starry Knight and Emerald Tiger in the first two cells. He then starts walking to Proton-ess', but then stops. He back tracks and peers at Starry through the red, yellow, and blue paint covering the top half of his face.

"…Finn?" He asks. Starry blinks.

"Guys…" He looks at the wall separating him from the others, "How does Captain America know my name?"

Steve walks down the wide hall, looking at each team member. Emerald Tiger lifts his head. "Josh?" Josh reluctantly nods. He looks at Proton-ess. He recognizes her under her helmet, "Nikki, right?"

She sighs, "Yeah…"

Steve looks at Animalia, "Jacey."

"…Hehe.. Hey," she greets, waving.

Steve stops at the last one and stares at the second ninja clad in the group. He is standing there, but doesn't pull the visor or bandana away. Steve doesn't need to think too hard to know who's behind it though.

"Mr. 'Parcel'," Night Ghost greets.

"August," Steve counters.

"…I'm sorry, who?" Tony asks, lifting his mask up.

"These are Heather's classmates," Steve says. There are gasps on both lines, "her friends, more accurately."

"August was right?"

"Grant Parcel-"

"Doesn't exist," Steve explains, "it was my cover name, so no one would know I was really there."

"…What is Heather's real name?" August asks.

"Heather Claire Morse," Steve answers.

"Whoa whoa, back up," Clint says, stepping forward, "why are you telling them, the intruders, Heather's real ID? We should be questioning them, not the other way around."

"We didn't know Heather knew you until August…" Nikki looks to her left, "until he thought he saw you without your cover identity."

"That was a disguise device," Steve explains, "and yes, when you visited the apartment I forgot to use it. I… I wasn't myself."

"You still aren't yourself," Sam mutters to himself.

"Who are you?" Natasha asks.

Everyone looks to August. He sighs, then takes his bandana off. He pulls the visor free and looks Natasha in the eyes. "We are called the Novelty."

"New?" Falcon asks, "Seriously?"

"Not all teams get to pick their names," Finn explains.

"We've never heard of you," Clint states.

"Because we don't want to be known," Josh answers.

"…There has been a scattered capture of minor villains all over New York," Jarvis answers.

"Minor!?" Finn exclaims, "those baddies are hard to take down! Especially in the dark-!"

"Starry, cool down," August says, reverting to his alias.

"..Starry?" Steve asks.

Finn sighs, "Starry Knight. Like the painting only.. With a 'k', you know?"

"What are the rest of your names?" Steve asks.

"Emerald Tiger," Josh says.

"Proton-ess," Nikki adds.

"Science based power?" Tony asks.

Nikki just stares at him.

"Animalia," Jacey says to fill the quiet.

Everyone looks at August, "…Night Ghost."

"Now what are you doing here?"

"They said they were looking for info on a friend."

"Heather?"

Everyone in Team Novelty nods. "Long story short… August thinks she's in trouble."

"No reports from the police, you aren't in your apartment since we visited," August lists briefly, "something was up."

"And you connected it to me because you saw me," Steve sums up.

August nods, "that's right."

"Let them out," Steve says.

"Steve-"

"They are worried about Heather. And we can't keep them here and they won't leave without knowing if she's alright," he explains.

"But-"

"Jarvis," Steve orders before Natasha can protest further.

"Right away sir," Jarvis answers. The doors unlock and all five teens step out.

"Follow me, Novelty," Steve says. Everyone takes the elevator to the headquarters, mission command level. Steve walks to the front while everyone else finds a seat. "You are correct in assuming Heather is in trouble. She's been missing for almost fifteen days."

"Are you looking for her?" Nikki asks.

"Constantly," Steve says, "Jarvis is running an analysis, and we are planning on searching any Hydra bases from a list that is being developed, thinning the number we have to check."

"Hydra?" Josh asks, "Heather was captured by Hydra?"

"Why?" August asks, "why so long? Wouldn't they have a ransom, or some way to contact you?"

Steve stares at August for a little. His face softens. He moves to sit on a table in front of the group, "There are a few things you still don't know about Heather. She's… she's like you."

The five share a look. "…Heather… she's a superhero?"

"Yes. I trained her, as well as Natasha and Sam. And, Heather's a supersoldier."

"…Whaaaaat!?" Finn answers for everybody. He thinks about it for a second, then smacks his forehead, "That's how she shattered that one guy's nose with one swing. She's not just strong-"

"She's in trouble," Steve says, getting him back on track.

"So… They don't have her to lure you..?" Josh asks.

"…We don't know."

"We can help," Jacey pipes up, "can't we…?" She looks at her team, then at Steve.

"No," Steve answers, "no, you can't help."

He turns away from them. "But if there are more people, then you might find her faster," Josh explains.

"Please sir, she's our friend-"

"I'm not putting another person in danger, much less a team of children!" Steve yells. He looks back at them. August looks at his team, then stands up.

"We are asking you to," he says. Steve looks at him, "Jacey is right. Heather is our friend. She's been in danger for too long and we want to help bring her home. That's why we came here. We want to find her."

"Command can help! Or AC," Nikki says, "they can help weed out the different facilities on your list."

"Let us help, please," Josh says.

Steve looks at his teammates in the back of the room. Natasha shrugs, Clint and Sam nod, and Tony is thinking. Thor walks to the front to stand by Steve. "They may be young, Steve, but I see promise in them. They have their hearts in the right place," he advises.

Steve sighs, "Can your other friends come here?"

Josh puts his hand to his ear, where one of the two comms they have is secured, "How about it Command?"

"Come to the Avengers Tower? Meet Tony Stark?" Command asks. Tony perks up at that.

"I think this is a great idea," he says. Steve rolls his eyes.

"Sure. My name's Rick, by the way. I'm Jacey's cousin."

"I unfortunately can't come," AC admits, "I would love to help, but I have something in the morning I need a decent amount of sleep for. I'll help tomorrow if I'm needed."

"Thanks Alpha Charlie," August says, then switches off his comm.

"I'll go pick up Rick," Nikki says, standing up. Natasha goes with her.

"I'll assign teams later," Steve says, albeit reluctantly, "do your parents know where you are?"

"Master Ikeda knows about this, although.. She may not know about this mission," Josh says.

"You were supposed to tell her!" August says.

Josh shrugs, "And have her warn us about the dangers again? No thanks."

"She knows guys," Rick says, "so don't worry, but worry at the same time. I gotta go." He hangs up and Josh takes out his comm.

"My uncle knows where I am. He's been taking care of me for a few years," Jacey says.

"Rick's dad?"Sam asks.

August sighs and nods, "Alpha Charlie."

Steve looks at Finn, "What about you and Nikki?"

"We both told our parents we would be at either Josh's or Jacey's. Sleep over."

"In the middle of the week?"

"They happen."

Steve nods, "Okay. Does anyone have experience with computers other than Rick?"

"Nikki does," Jacey mentions.

"I have a decent knowledge," Josh adds, raising his hand. He looks at August.

"…You know I won't be able to help with this," August defends, "Look what happened last time I was at mission command."

"He was sick, so Rick let him help during a mission," Josh explains.

"I hit the wrong button. I never thought Rick would yell that loud," August explains in a hoarse whisper.

"He wasn't yelling, you were sick," Josh says, rolling his eyes. Jacey leans her head on Josh's right shoulder.

"I'm tired. And hungry," she whines.

Finn looks at the Avengers, "When she uses her ability, she uses up her energy."

"There's a cafeteria, where you can get something to eat," Sam says, stepping forward, "And there are some extra beds on each of the living quarter levels for you to sleep, if you need to."

"We'll get you all started once your friends come back," Steve continues.

* * *

 **Well what do you know... Heather's friends are SUPERHEROES!**

 **'The Novelty' (a work in progress name) is of my creation and please don't use them without permission.**

 **What do you think? I'll be explaining their abilities/tech later, but in general, what's your first impression?**

 **~CtW**

 **P.S. I have no idea what level the mission command is on. Just saying.**


	28. Chapter 27

**Here's the next chapter. It's so close, trust me! I can barely stand writing her in this state.**

 **But... for now... *sigh***

* * *

A guard walks behind the agent holding the tray. They walk down a few halls and stop at an interrogation door. The guard nods to those on duty and they unlock the door. The agent walks in. "SD01, your meal is here."

The person doesn't move. She stays on her back, staring at the ceiling in the dimly lit room. There is a small table next to her, where the tray is sat down. The agent leaves and the door closes.

Heather blinks slowly. She had come back from another session, but it wasn't like she hadn't gone through it already. She sports new bruises on her stomach, her shredded back is decorated with purple blotches as well. Her leg had been straightened in order to drag her 'properly,' so there is new pain in her knee. She wrapped it as best she could with the fabric of her shirt, but it didn't help anything but the sight of her blood.

Heather closes her eyes. A sob works itself up through her throat and fresh tears clear paths down her face. She's defiant, doesn't let them see her cry. She doesn't let them see. But she knows the truth. Red Skull knows the truth. Even Bryce can see it.

They broke her.

* * *

"Command, come in," Steve says through his comm.

"The a base to your North by a mile," Rick replies.

"Everyone have their jobs?" Steve asks. Natasha and Thor nod.

"How's the other team?" He asks.

"They would have more help if we were with them," Josh says through his own comm.

"I am not putting you in danger, we went over this," Steve says.

Josh sighs, "Second team is finishing up at the base in Iraq. No sign of any prisoners so far.

"What about their next one?"

"Even less promising," Rick answers.

"Drop zone incoming," Natasha says from the pilot seat. Steve sighs, then reaches for his helmet.

* * *

After searching all day and a good portion of the night, the teams retreat back to the Tower, leaving SHIELD to clean up the messes left at each Hydra base. But that's all they said they could do to help.

'Where is she?' Steve asks himself. He walks into mission command, where half the teens are looking over computers, deciding which bases could be the correct one due to the symbols, shipments, and anything else that Natasha was able to dig up from the dumped files.

Steve notes that Jacey and Josh are not among them.

"Jarvis, where's the rest of the team?" He asks as he goes into the elevator again.

"I've located their signatures on the training level."

Steve steps out and sees Josh holding a few pictures. Jacey looks at one, then closes her eyes. She exhales slowly. Right in front of Steve, Jacey changes from human to a tiger. She's walks around for a little, then swats at the air before her. She changes back, falling into a heap.

"Try it again," Josh says. He holds up another picture. Steve is close enough that he can see it's a flamingo. Jacey tries, successfully changing.

She balances on one foot, then sees Steve, "Captain- Oop!" She falls off her foot and turns back to human. She looks up at him shyly.

"Training?" He asks.

"Yes sir," Josh says, "Jacey wanted to go over her forms and needed someone to help."

"Neither of us can help downstairs," Jacey admits, standing up.

"You're a shape shifter?" Steve asks.

"Yes. I had found this clip," she turns to show him her hair piece, "and whenever I wear it, I'm able to shape shift into whatever animal I want. Humans too, only.. That's harder."

"I see." Steve looks at Josh, "Do you have a special ability, Josh?"

"No sir, just martial arts," Josh admits as Jacey tries another animal. "I didn't think I needed anything else and so far it's worked."

Jacey turns back to a human, then walks back to the boys, "Captain Rogers?"

Steve turns to look at her, "Yes Ms. Sallow?"

"We won't be a secret anymore, will we?" She asks, giving Josh a side glance.

Steve takes a cautious breath, "What makes you say that?"

"We've heard of other people with either tech or abilities like our team that have gone missing," Josh admits, "After digging, a lot, AC found that at least three of them have ties to SHIELD."

Steve nods, sighing in understanding.

"Since SHIELD and the Avengers are connected-"

"You will not be turned over to SHIELD, I promise you. They aren't even aware of our operations."

"Why not? Wouldn't an organization such as SHIELD help with finding Heather? Wouldn't their help increase the speed of your search?" Josh asks.

"I'm sure they would. But they are busy with their own problems. We are on our own. Ms. Sallow, Mr. Evert," Steve tips his head. He turns to the elevator again.

"Well, not entirely alone, you have us!" Jacey says, leaning on Josh. Steve looks at them over his shoulder.

"Heather has you, and I am eternally grateful that she has you five as friends."

Josh folds the pictures up, "We should get back to the others, too." Jacey nods and they take the elevator ride with Steve.

There are two big maps up on the main screen, showing the Hydra bases they know of, and the bases they determined to be possible targets. There were zero on the second map when Steve left, but now there are three.

"Jarvis, tell the teams to suit up in thirty minutes," Steve says.

"Right away sir," Jarvis answers.

August looks up from peeking over Nikki's shoulder. "There are three places, Captain. You won't be able to check them all."

"They don't know where we'll strike next. They probably aren't even aware, since we take out their communications each time," Steve answers.

"But to get it done faster-"

"No, August," Steve says, "I told you-"

"With all due respect, we aren't children, Captain Rogers," August interrupts, "We've gone on missions before."

"But not against Hydra," Steve argues, "They are not like the villains you find on the street. They are trained cold blooded killers. They won't care if you are children. And I'm not handing them anybody with abilities, because they-" he stops when he sees Finn and Jacey look up. "Trust me, August. I am desperate to find Heather, but if I put her friends in danger to do it, she won't forgive me."

"She doesn't even know us. Not really," Nikki admits.

"But you know what? She trusts you," Steve answers, "She was this close-" he holds his thumb and pointer finger a half inch apart, "-to telling you about who she was, I could feel it. And if she trusts you, that is all I need to know."

"Trust issues?" August asks.

"…Trust caution. You've met Bryce," Steve corrects, "none of you are going and that's final."

After a pause, there is a chorus of 'yes sir's. Steve walks to the front, looking at the three dots. One that catches his eye is in the Alps.

"Steve, where are we headed?" Natasha asks over the comm.

Steve answers with, "Everybody to the Quinjet. There may be three bases, but we have only one target." Steve turns and goes to the elevator, "I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner."

"Where?"

* * *

Heather thought the more sessions where she is whipped, the less she'd feel. But the opposite is true instead. She can't hold back her yelps, and she's given up even trying. The 'torture master' as she calls him stands behind her, the only one witnessing her torture.

The door opens as Heather unleashes another scream. Red Skull motions for her tormentor to stop. Heather hangs her head, seeing bits of pink amid the blood. She doesn't look him in the eye, doesn't even try to look at him. The only pain that overcomes the lashes on her back is in her knee, which is stretched behind her. There are even a few marks along the back due to the whip missing.

"Take her to the hangar," Red Skull says, "I'll be with you shortly." He then promptly leaves. Heather's arms are released, only to be clamped behind her. The guards half drag her down the hall, her leg trailing after. The other stumbles.

'The hangar? We're leaving?' Heather wonders, 'Why? Why now? Is he scared that I'll be found here? Steve's really looking?' Heather then scolds herself, 'Of _course_ he's looking. Why wouldn't he?'

Double doors open up in front of her. She's dragged into the elevator and the guards stand on either side of her, only holding her up by her arms. Heather has trouble breathing. Her mouth is open, and noises she's embarrassed from escape, showing her immediate pain.

The doors open again and Heather is dragged onto the hangar floor. She turns her head to the left, eyeing the smaller planes they pass. 'I have at least basic knowledge of the Quinjet, I could fly one of those…' She then sighs to herself and stares at the floor again, 'No, I can't. I tried to escape, three times. And now-'

A stray rock hits below her knee and she yelps. The Hydra soldiers above her aim for the largest plane. She's lifted up and placed on one of the benches in a cell. Her legs are even cuffed together, like she could even stand.

Red Skull walks on and gives her a look over. Heather tries -she really tries- to scowl at him. But based on his look of triumph in response, she must have looked like a kicked puppy. Heather closes her eyes and looks away.

'That is why you need to not look him in the eye anymore, Heather,' she scolds again, 'he knows you're broken. Don't be even more pitiful.'

The pilots in the cockpit start going through lift off procedures. The cargo doors closes and Red Skull goes to the compartment above the cargo bay, leaving Heather in painful solitude.

* * *

 **Steve's on edge, but he's looking a little more stable than he was before.**

 **Heather on the other hand. There is a phrase in this chapter that is very _very_ important.  
Can you find it?**

 **Until next time!**

 **~CtW**


	29. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28 is finally here.**

 **I'm vibrating in my seat. But crying at the same time.**

* * *

The glass windows of the Alps base come into view through the clouds. Steve is glaring hard out the windshield as Clint comes down. "Everyone ready?" Natasha asks. She hears confirmation from everyone, but Steve. "Cap?"

Steve looks at her, "This is it, I know it." He turns to the closed ramp, "turn us around, Clint." The ramp lowers, revealing the glass he saw in the front earlier. There isn't any defense on this side, no one could attack this way in the forties. But Steve can see agents beyond the glass scrambling. He puts on a jet pack that Tony provided them. Black Widow and Falcon are next to him with similar packs. Ironman is already in the air with Thor.

"Ready Bruce?" Clint says, putting the Quinjet on Jarvis-pilot.

"I think it's safe to say I'm angrier than usual," Bruce says, taking his shirt off. He doesn't need it destroyed. The others move to the side. Bruce starts turning green and takes a running leap off the ramp. He lands, in full Hulk form, through the glass.

The others fly over, stepping on the broken glass as Hulk stops over by them. There aren't any conscious Hydra agents in the vicinity. "Thanks buddy," Clint says, already aiming his bow at the big doors on the left side of the room. Hulk nods, grunting.

"Alright everyone, split into pairs. Stark, do you-"

"Schematics are downloading," Ironman answers. He whistles, "Not many modern improvements."

"Stark," Steve warns.

"Yeah, I got it. Commando, your team ready?"

"It's _Command_ , but yes," Rick says from the Tower, "And Ghost is our leader."

"Alrighty then. Cap gave you your pair to consult, Jarvis is sending you the route each team is taking. Tell them where to go, you're the eyes.

"Yes sir," Josh answers.

Steve and Sam are paired with Nikki, who will be directing them to the cells. Rick is taking Thor and Natasha to the infirmary area. Clint and Tony are going to the interrogation wing. August, Finn, and Josh are watching for heat signatures coming towards the teams. Hulk is in charge of guarding the entrance, which means he has to get to the front door. Jacey's calm words guide him through the halls. Jarvis will bring the Quinjet to the ground for their departure.

The teams go off to their missions. "Turn right, Cap," Nikki states.

"Thanks Proton-ess," Sam answers for him. They turn.

"There's a squad of eight coming down the next hall, Widow," August says.

"No problem." Natasha and Thor take out the agents easily. "Which door, Command?"

"Left."

"The cells are five levels down."

"You're doing good Hulk. There are stairs on your left, they will bring you closer," Jacey says carefully, "understood?" She hears a grunt, followed by a door opening.

"Two groups are converging on your next intersection, Black Widow. And there are some coming up the stairs at the door behind you, Thor."

"Keen eye, young one," Thor says, barreling around the corner to bash them with his hammer.

Cap and Falcon arrive at their place first. After taking out all the agents in the area, they split to cover more area. "Heather?" Steve calls, looking in each cell.

"Lass!" Falcon says, on the opposite side of the gray concrete dungeon. They can hear the others calling out enemies inbound and directions.

Steve doesn't see anyone in the cells, "Falcon?"

"Nothing here, Cap. It's empty."

"No life in the infirmary," Natasha states. Steve freezes.

"Hulk is in position, and smashing with delight," Jacey says.

"Team Iron Arrow has reached our checkpoint, we'll get back to you," Ironman says.

"Wait wait, go back," Steve says, "Natasha, you said, 'no life,' what do you mean?"

Natasha looks at Thor, taking a deep breath.

"Natasha!"

"She's right, Cap," August says, "there isn't any other heat signatures but their own."

"But why did she word it that way?" Steve asks.

"Because I found blood, Steve," Natasha says calmly, "I don't know if it's-"

"No life forms here," Clint says, "but Cap, I'd get down here."

* * *

Steve and Sam arrive at the interrogation wing. Clint meets them at the elevator. They jog back to Ironman, trusting the teens to alert them of any enemies. They stop at an open door. Ironman is looking at the group, but with his mask down, Steve can't read his emotions.

"What is it?" Ironman moves out of the way. The room was converted into a make shift cell. The door was busted open by Ironman's repulsers. There is a cot with a thin pillow. Steve stares at the blood coating both, as well as the floor.

He walks into the room. "…Jarvis scanned the blood," Ironman says. Steve looks back at him. "..It's Heather's."

Steve turns back. There's red sprayed on the floor near the back wall. There's a bullet in the wall, along with bits of white amid the dried blood. "..What did they do to her?" Sam asks, having stepped in behind Steve.

"They must have known we were coming," Clint says. He draws his bow and shoots an agent down the hall. "You alright, Novelty? You're slipping."

The team at mission command is too busy looking at the picture coming from Ironman's helmet on Finn's computer. "…Yeah, we're fine," August says, "Black Widow, five in the next hall. Eleven are about to join them."

"On my way," Natasha takes out the soldiers. "It's bad, isn't it?"

Jacey had looked away, resorting to talking to the Hulk so he doesn't lose control. Finn had also walked away, with Josh.

"Yeah," August admits. He nods to Rick and Nikki, who nod back. They can still help. "Anything else, Captain Rogers?"

The question brings Steve out of his stupor. "We'll be on our way back, Night Ghost," he says, feeling numb at the sight of Heather's previous living space, "Thank you for your team's assistance."

"Yes sir." Steve turns around and exits the room. The team starts down the hall. Natasha is the last to leave the room, her fists clenched white.

Steve stops again after they turned a few corners. The interrogation and torture wings are next to each other. He had stopped going to the exit once he saw faint streaks of red on the floor. He followed them to a few rooms. The one with the freshest trail has a pair of chains hanging on the far wall, a whip on the table. Red is coating the floor and wall.

He reaches for the door.

"Steve-?"

He slams the door, so hard the walls crack and the hinges in the middle try to hold the door to the frame. He stares at it.

"Steve…" He doesn't look up, only tilts his head so they know he's listening. "Let's go. Heather's long gone. We have to keep looking."

Steve nods curtly and turns away from the wall. He doesn't look down any more doors. He keeps his gaze on the person in front of him.

"Cap, stealth agent-" Steve doesn't let Josh finish. He turns around and knees the agent in the gut. Then he kicks him square in the chest. The agent hits the wall, falling in a heap. A few more join him before anyone can warn Steve. He doesn't even look at them when he's done. He just stomps off to the front of the base.

Almost twenty agents later, he steps onto the Quinjet, fuming. Bruce had calmed down with Natasha's help and was sitting on one of the benches with a blanket. Sam walks onto the Quinjet. "Steve-"

Steve yells, turning around. Sam ducks out of the way, leaving Thor to take the punch. Thor barely moves, even if it did actually hurt. Steve punches again, which Thor lets him do. He takes out his anger for a moment, then stands there, one hand on Thor's armor, the other pulled back, but unable to hit his friend again.

"You aren't the only one angry with this-"

"Then why am I the only one showing it!" Steve yells. He stares at Natasha. "Heather's…"

"You says she's a child again and I'll punch you," Natasha says slowly.

"She doesn't deserve _that_!" Steve yells, motioning to the building. "That's her _blood_! I saw _bone_!" Steve sits in a huff a few benches down from Bruce. He takes his helmet off and runs a hand through his hair, "What did she go through..?" He asks himself. Natasha sits next to him, but he slaps off any attempt at consoling him.

Sam watches his friend silently fume, then turns to Clint, "Take us home." Clint nods, then sits in the pilot seat.

"You know she isn't an adult yet," Steve tells Natasha, "that's what I mean. She should be hanging out with friends, doing homework, living with her family, and the worst injury she gets is from falling off her horse. She shouldn't worry about being kidnapped by Red Skull, and she shouldn't willingly risk her life everyday."

"I understand that," Natasha whispers back.

"…She is a 'child' to me," Steve says, soft enough so only she hears, "because… I needed her to be that. I needed something to care for, so I'd actually care for myself. She made me try to live, without asking. She has a light that could lift anyone-"

"She still has that, Steve," Natasha says.

Steve looks up at her, "How can you be so sure?"

* * *

The plane comes to a halt after a smooth landing. Heather had actually managed to fall asleep, but with her cell being opened, she flutters her eyes awake to see who's 'escorting' her. She expected to see the two guards, but now it's only Red Skull. He opens the door and steps in. Heather uses the energy from her much needed rest to glare at him. He smirks at the gesture.

He picks her up, with a hand under her back and his other arm under her knees. To some, they'd think he's actually being kind to her. But Heather would tell you different. The injuries on her back protest from the pain, and but it is her knee, that is bent without her consent, that makes her howl in his ear. With each step, it brings her more pain.

Guards are on either side of the them. The group arrives at a cell block. Red Skull puts her down in one of the barred rooms. She doesn't move from her spot, the trip there was torture in itself. Red Skull locks the door and leaves the guards there.

"…Steve's looking, isn't he?" Red Skull stops and turns back down the hall. Heather is staring at the ceiling, with something of a smile on her face. "That's why we moved, he got too close." She turns to look at him, "He'll find me eventually. And then, you'll have to face the music."

Red Skull walks back over and unlocks the door. Heather keeps a brave face on for about six seconds, before her terror appears. "Now you don't want that to happen, Ms. America," Red Skull says. He rolls up his sleeves, "want to know why?"

* * *

Half the Novelty is at the landing pad when the Quinjet arrives. "You need us," August states, firmly, "Now that we know just how in trouble Heather is-"

"We still don't know _where_ she is," Steve says back, "She could be anywhere, now. We'll have to check the bases we checked before and…" August is stifled to silence. Steve sits down on a couch, taking deep breaths.

Sam looks around, but only see August, Finn, and Rick. "Where's the rest of your team?"

Finn sighs, "Either throwing up or helping her not get her hair dirty. …Jacey has a delicate stomach."

"That is why I didn't want any of you to go," Steve says, "you wouldn't be able to handle what you see."

August steps forward, "Some of us don't have that problem."

"Is that why you are a shade greener than the last time we were here?" Clint asks. August looks at him, then at the floor. "No one should be used to that, so it's not a bad thing to be appalled."

Steve stands up, "Everyone back to work. We're back to square one with this, so we have to gain ground-"

"Steve," Natasha says, "we're all tired, we're bothered by what we saw-"

"Really Widow? Because you haven't shown a single emotion since we stepped onto the plane," Steve accuses.

"That's because all I could think about was the Red Room," Natasha says, hardness in her voice, "it isn't the same, but the only reason I don't plan to kill Red Skull myself is because I know that it is your right." She takes a breath, "We won't be able to find Heather while we are half asleep and shaken. I suggest that everyone get at least a few hours of sleep and have something to eat. If something is bothering you, you need to talk to someone. Keeping it in will not help."

She looks at the three boys still standing there. "Yes, ma'am," Finn says. August and Rick nod as well. They break off to find their places to sleep, and Finn reaches for his phone to tell his parents he won't be home that night, with the usual excuse.

Natasha looks at Steve pointedly. He sighs, then starts for an elevator as well. The doors close and the box slowly descends for his level. "Captain Rogers."

Steve sighs, rubbing his face, "Yes Jarvis?"

"I was running analysis on the bases that were already searched, where SHIELD was cleaning up-"

"And?"

"…There is one that is off SHIELD's radar. The agents working there just disappeared."

"...Where?"

"The one in East France."

Steve opens his eyes, "New destination, launching pad."

"Sir, Ms. Romanoff clearly stated-"

"Override Jarvis." The box stops moving, then slowly treks up again. Steve puts his helmet back on and walks out of the elevator, "I'll sleep when she's safe."

* * *

 **YAY! Steve's on the way! ...A little worse for wear though.. But Nothing Stops Cap right?**

 **We're so close. I can feel it. He's coming, he's coming, he's coming- Can you hear me Heather!? He's coming!**

 **I'll leave you with this little tidbit and try to get the next chapter up by tomorrow.**

 ***smiles* I have a feeling you'll love it~!**

 **~CtW**


	30. Chapter 29

**Sorry it took me a little to get this chapter up.**

 **I have a couple warnings for this one.  
1\. There is suggested sexual violence in this chapter. It isn't graphic, and it doesn't go very far, but if it is triggering for anyone, then when you see three asterisks (***) skip down until you see them again. They aren't separating scenes.  
2\. There is another language in a part of this chapter: FRENCH! First, I apologize to any French speakers for any mistakes. I used Google Translate. Second, if you also do not know French, or you don't care to use Google Translate to figure out what the characters are saying, I will have the English translation in bold [] after them. (I may change this to having the translation at the end, but we'll see.)**

* * *

Steve had taken the Mini-jet and headed straight for the dot that Jarvis brought up on the map.

"Incoming message from the Tower-"

"Block message. I don't need to hear them now," Steve says. He watches the land appear in the distance, far below the clouds. "I need to do this. This time it's my fault."

Steve closes his eyes for a moment. He's tired, running low on steam. He silently wonders if Tony installed the coffee maker into the plane that Clint had been bothering Tony about. He shakes his head to keep himself awake.

" _What do you plan to do? Fly right into Hydra's airspace?"_ Steve looks to his right. Peggy is sitting there in the co-pilot seat, just as she did the day he planned to save Bucky alone. She's looking at him with an exasperated look.

"If that's what it takes," he replies, looking back at the land.

 _"_ _She may not even be there,"_ Peggy says, placing a hand on his arm.

Steve looks at her a moment, then turns back, shaking his head, "You don't know that."

 _"_ _Even so, your team is devising a strategy to-"_

"By the time their done, it could be too late!" Steve huffs. "You told me you thought I was meant for more than this." Steve looks at her, pleading, "…Did you mean that?"

Peggy smiles at him, then leans over and kisses his cheek. _"Every word."_

"Then you gotta let me save her," Steve says, turning away.

 _"…_ _I can do more than that."_

"Sir?"

Steve looks at the co-pilot seat. No one is there. "Yes Jarvis?"

"There is a French military base close to your destination," Jarvis says, marking it on the map, "perhaps they could give you assistance?"

Steve looks at the mile distance between them. He nods, "Yes Jarvis. That will work." He adjusts the Mini-jet's course. 'Riding in will be better than flying. Stealth is needed since I'm alone.'

 _"_ _Who is she?"_ Steve looks over at the seat again. This time, the plane fades, showing him Peggy in modern time, with gray hair, but no less elegant than she was in the forties.

Steve smiles grimly, "She's my daughter, Peg."

 _"_ _Do you take good care of her?"_

Steve sighs, "No, I don't think I have."

 _"_ _What would she say?"_ Peggy asks.

"She'd say I couldn't have done better," Steve says, "but look where we are now."

Peggy coughs a moment, _"Steve…"_

Steve closes his eyes.

 _"_ _You look and sound like you're falling apart."_

"I am. I'm losing yet another person close to me. Another person that needs me." Steve shudders, feeling the vision go away. "…I can't lose her." He opens his eyes and sees the military base come into view. "I _won't_."

He turns on the radio and hails the tower. "C'est Capitaine Amérique. Je demande la permission d'atterrir à votre base. Je le répète, c'est le Capitaine Steven Grant Rogers qui demande l'autorisation- **[This is Captain America. I'm requesting permission to land at your base. I repeat, this is Captain Steven Grant Rogers requesting permission-]** "

He's interrupted by the person on the other end, "Bonjour, capitaine. Nous vous voyons. Un moment. [Hello Captain. We see you. One moment.]"

Steve sighs and waits, keeping the Mini-jet at a hover. "Capitaine Steven Rogers?" a new person asks.

"Oui," Steve answer.

"Je m'appelle commandant Aloin Thomas, armée française. **[My name is Commandant Aloin Thomas, French Army.]** "

"Bonjour, le commandant Thomas. **[Hello Commandant Thomas.]** "

"Quelle est votre affaire dans l'espace aérien français? **[What is your business in French airspace?]** "

"Mission de sauvetage. J'ai des raisons de croire qu'il y a une installation Hydra à dix milles à l'est de vous, **[Rescue mission. I have reason to believe there is a Hydra facility ten miles east of you.]** " Steve answers.

"Avengers et SHIELD ont déjà eu une mission dans cette installation, nous avons entendu. Pourquoi revenez-vous? **[Avengers and SHIELD already had a mission to that facility, we heard. Why are you going back?]** " The officer asks.

"Les Avengers avaient perdu contact avec les agents SHIELD à ces coordonnées, Commandant, **[The Avengers had lost contact with the SHIELD agents at those coordinates, Commandant.]** " Steve answers.

"Vous avez dit que c'était une mission de sauvetage, Capitaine? **[You said it was a rescue mission, Captain?]** "

Steve takes a deep breath. He answers carefully, "Questions personnelles, commandant. Un de nous-mêmes. **[Personal matter, Commandant. One of our own.]** " Steve waits, still circling. He hears some French on the other end of the call.

"…Permission accordée. Terre dans le champ d'atterrissage du Nord, Capitaine Rogers, **[Permission granted. Land in the North landing field, Captain Rogers.]** " the first voice says.

"Je vous remercie. **[Thank you.]** " Steve tilts the Mimi-jet to the side, aiming for one of the spaces on the grass. He turns off the controls, then walks out. A small group heads toward him. They salute, and Steve salutes back, barely pausing for a second to do so.

"Capitaine Rogers, c'est un honneur, **[Captain Rogers, it's an honor.]** " one says. By his voice and the patch on his uniform, Steve knows it is Commandant Thomas. "Y a-t-il quelque chose que l'armée française puisse vous aider? **[Is there anything the French Army can assist you with?]** "

"J'ai besoin d'une jeep, si vous pouvez l'épargner, **[I need a jeep, if you can spare one.]** " Steve answers. The commandant yells to a soldier, who rushes off.

"Aurez-vous besoin de troupes? ...Où sont les autres Vengeurs? **[Will you need troops? …Where are the other Avengers?]** " He looks around, as if they were supposed to be behind him.

"Je n'ai pas besoin de vos soldats, commandant. Et les autres Avengers arriveront bientôt, **[I do not need your soldiers, Commandant. And the other Avengers will arrive soon.]** " Steve says. 'No doubt they will have realized I'm gone by now.' The soldier comes back, driving an open top truck.

"Son réservoir est plein. Et il y a des grenades si vous en avez besoin, Capitaine, **[It's tank is full. And there are grenades if you need them, Captain.]** " he says. It's plain to see that he is in awe of being near Captain America. Steve nods to him and they switch places.

Before he takes off, he turns to the commandant again, "Votre base at-elle des médecins? Une unité médicale? **[Does your base have doctors? A medical unit?]** "

The commandant answers, "Il y a une unité médicale à quelques kilomètres. Nous vous enverrons des expéditions pour qu'ils soient là lorsque vous arrivez. A quelle distance croyez-vous que les plaies seront importantes? **[There is a medical unit a few miles away. We will send dispatch to them so they are here when you arrive. How extensive do you believe the wounds will be?]** "

Steve turns to look down the road to the east, turning on the engine. "Sévère. **[Severe.]** " He looks at the group. The commandant and soldiers salute. Steve salutes back and takes off.

* * *

"Oh how the mighty have fallen.."

Heather sighs softly, not giving Bryce the satisfaction of responding.

Bryce walks from one side of her cell to the other, on the opposite side of the bars from her, "What I would have given to see you in an actual battle. True.. I never took you for a fighter. But that punch.." He runs the tips of his fingers over his disfigured nose. He laughs wryly, "well.. I guess I should have seen it coming."

Heather doesn't respond.

"Still so defiant," he comments wistfully. He regards her for a second. "Anyone to miss you?"

Heather closes her eyes.

"Is there anyone that cares anymore?"

'Don't give him what he wants.'

"…Ever find _Mr. Right_?"

Heather snaps, "Do you want to get punched again?!"

She sees the smug look on his face and realizes she played right into his hands. Bryce motions to the guard. He opens the door and Bryce walks in. "You've always had a good set of pipes, Dysley." He walks over and squats next to her. "Go on, punch me."

Heather glares at him.

"You know you want to~" Bryce sings, "come on, I'm right here. Punch me."

Heather tries to lift her hand, but then it starts shaking. She sets it back down.

"No, you can't," Bryce looks down at his hand and slowly takes the glove off, "because you're broken, Heather. You talk all you want, but really… You don't have a single fight left in you." His hand sneaks under her shirt, running across the bruises on her abs.

Heather squirms. "Go away."

Bryce chortles, "After all this time, after seeing you break, you think I will just walk away. Oh no," he sits on the side of her small cot. "I think I'll take what I want."

"Agent Rumlow, Herr Schmidt won't be too happy if-"

"Report me, and I'll have your head, soldier," Bryce says venomously, "neither of you speak a word of this." He turns back to Heather, "and you won't want to. How humiliating would that be, hm? You've finally lost.. Everything."

Heather grits her teeth, "Not everything," she says between them. Bryce looks her over from head to toe. Again, Heather's fist comes up off the cot. But after a moment, it falls back down. Bryce sees that and smirks. He taps on her propped up knee without looking away from her face.

"This won't do." He then presses it down, eliciting a scream from Heather. Tears spring up and her vision swirls for a few moments. When it finally clears, she sees Bryce's smirk had widened into a grin. He leans down to her face, still contorting with pain. "I _love_ when you scream.." He kisses her, forcefully. Heather turns her head to the side, hoping to escape him. But he adjusts, leaving a line of bruises down her cheek and neck. Heather can't move her head because his is right under her chin.

Bryce places his hand on her abs again. Heather's hand comes up and slaps at his shoulder. He ignores her, feeling every chiseled bump over her stomach. His other hand slides under her back, making her scream again from the pressure on her injuries.

"I want to milk this for all it's worth," Bryce says into her ear, "but at the same time, I _don't_."

'Push him off, Heather. You can do it,' she encourages. But her body isn't responding to her attempts. The slap was all she could manage. 'Do you really want him to get away with this? Do you want him to win?'

She gets her hands between them and pushes up. He looks at her hands. "Nice try." He takes her wrists in one hand and stretches them over her head. The lashes on her back strain, making Heather groan. Bryce's hand goes away from her back and replaces the one under her shirt.

His hand passes between her ribs, blindly looking for any bruises for a noise to come out of her. His hand stops right in the center of her chest. He pulls her wrists over his head, so one arm is on either side of his head. Heather's pulled from the cot and Bryce bends down. He kisses her again.

Heather pulls away, but he just follows her down, not giving her any option out of it. He was still sitting on the side of the cot, but he lifts one leg to straddle her.

There's a loud crack as metal comes off its hinges. With one hand, Bryce is hauled off Heather. His grip on her wrists was still strong, so she was dragged off the cot and onto the floor. She whimpers at the pain, holding one wrist. From the sudden action, both feel broken.

She looks up. Bryce is babbling as Red Skull holds him off the ground by the front of her uniform with one hand. "-What was it…!" His voice comes out muffled, as Heather's ears have been ringing since she fell. She missed the first part of his rant.

Bryce chokes out, "No one is to defile her.." He takes a shallow breath before adding, "those are… your exact words… Herr Schmidt…"

"Then explain yourself!" He throws him to the corner of the cell. Bryce hits it and puts his open hands up in defense.

"She's the reason I was put in prison! She destroyed my nose! She has been more one obsession since she refused me many years ago!" Bryce glares at Heather. "She's mine. I want to be the one to break her. She's still defiant, she still has a sense of worth. When I'm done with her, she'll be worthless. No one will want her. She won't be able to go anywhere she isn't wanted, but under my thumb-"

Red Skull takes out his gun. There's a blast and Bryce looks down at the hole in his uniform. He chokes up blood and slides down the bars to the floor. Red Skull walks over, stowing his gun away. "You are wrong, Agent Rumlow." He stoops down, "She is worth quite a lot to me. And she is every bit your superior as I am."

He looks at Heather. "Nice way to treat your equal," she shudders.

He clicks his tongue, "I never said you were my equal, Ms. America. Had you have grown up under Hydra, and trained under me, you would have been reverred as a goddess. I tried to make Captain America understand that he should not make himself out to be a normal man, but apparently only I share that opinion."

"Yeah, you're insane!" Heather yells.

Red Skull back hands her, "What is insanity, but the truth no one wants to hear?" He stands up, "Bring her."

A small group of soldiers walks in. Heather's hands are restricted, making her wrists flame up with pain. She looks at Bryce, slumped in the corner. The memory of what he did, or the imagination of what he would do, floods into her mind. He doesn't move, or look up. Blood comes out of his mouth and coats the front of his uniform.

'I don't have to worry about him anymore,' Heather thinks. She looks at him again and tries to imagine a little nine year old boy being put against others his age, fighting, surviving, trying to be the best. She tried to see who he must have been before Hydra infected his mind.

But she can't. And she's glad.

* * *

 **I remembered that Steve knows French, so of course I wanted to put that in.**

 **I was going to have Steve use a motorcycle, but that makes no sense. How will he be able to bring Heather back? (..I've said too much. (*inches away*)**

 ***comes back* I also added in a little PTSD for Steve. If you noticed, the young Peggy part is inspired off of a scene in Captain America: First Avenger. The older Peggy scene was inspired off a chapter in Country Lass: Adventures. And I read a headcanon where Steve can actually watch his memories, so I added in that he can see her- yeah you get the point.**

 **If you skipped the one scene, here's the basics: Bryce = worst character I've ever created. And that's saying something.  
I've been waiting to kill him off. I don't think I'll be sorry about that one.**

 **Let me guess, you thought Steve had arrived. Yeahhhhh... no. Not yet.**

 **And now for the million Monopoly money question: Where do you think Heather's off to now?**

 **~CtW**


	31. Chapter 30

**Here's the next chapter.**

 **Once again, there is French. So the [] are the English Translation. And again, I apologize for any mistakes. No hablo French.  
...Oh wait, that's Spanish. My point still stands!**

* * *

Heather is dragged on her butt down the hall by her cuffed wrists. She continuously has a scream or yelp coming out her her mouth. She lets her head hang limp, watching where they are going upside down. Her shorn hair barely brushes the floor, where they would have tripped over it if it was still long.

They turn into a room. Heather sees a metal table with straps at the middle and end before they lift her to be somewhat standing. She's lifted onto the table and strapped down. Heather looks around. She had struggled, she _had_. At least… in her head. She sees a couple of the doctors walk over to her. They turn her arm over so the underside of her elbow is facing up. He cleans the skin.

The second one takes something out of a box; a needle. Heather takes a few deep breaths through her nose. She looks around, seeing Red Skull was still there. In the corner, there is a machine sitting there. The scientist cleans the thick needle and attaches it to a thin tube. Heather's arm tenses up the closer it gets.

"Calm down," one says clinically. Heather doesn't answer. She stares at the needle. "Calm down, now, or it will hurt more."

Heather's head is pushed to the table, so she can't see the needle. A hand comes over her eyes. She's still breathing heavily. "Please," Heather says, the desperate word slipping out of her lips, "please. Please, please, don't do this."

There's a moment when her ragged, terrified breathing is the only sound in the room. Then she whimpers as the needle pierces her skin. It's as if they wanted to draw out the moment, let her know that she's powerless. It feels to Heather as if the point would touch her shoulder, when it stops. The hand is still over her eyes, keeping her head down. She can't see the needle, or the blood coming out.

But she has an image of the process. There were blood donation days at each of her high schools. She's never been part of it, either because she was too young or because she had the serum. Her face twists into discomfort. There's half an eternity before the hand comes off her face. By then, Heather's too weak to move, even if she wants to. The needle is still in her arm. She turns her head. She can't see her arm over her shoulder, but she can see the tube attached to the needle. A white glove holds it up. She stares at the red liquid running through the tube, over to a bag.

She has an urge to close her eyes. 'Sleep..' she pleads, 'Just sleep. Uninterrupted, peaceful.. sleep…'

But she opens her eyes again, not letting herself succumb. Red Skull is still there, but she can't bear to look at anything but the red tube. The scientists are saying things, but she doesn't understand. Nothing reaches her ears clearly.

The needle is then pulled out. Heather whimpers at the feeling, but doesn't move. She watches the bag of blood be carried to the machine she saw earlier. It's hooked up to it and the machine turns on. The blood slowly empties into the part it's connected to.

The second scientist cleans a second needle. Heather tries to move her arm, but she's already so tired. A second bag starts to fill. She looks up at the machine. There is one tube that goes into the machine, but two come out the side into vials on a tray. One fills with red, while the second is bright blue.

'No..' She gasps to herself. The vials finish filling at the machine is turned off. Red Skull walks over and picks up the serum vial.

"On behalf of Hydra, and the future," he turns to Heather, giving her a mock salute, "I thank you for your contribution."

Heather's eyes well up with tears, but she closes them before the trail down her cheeks. She hears the vial as it is placed in a padded box. She nearly falls asleep again, and the needle comes out again. Her arm is now numb, but she's sure that there is a third needle that pricks her skin.

* * *

The jeep goes as fast as it can with the gas pedal on the floor. Steve watches the road ahead of him, finding the correct paths to the base. He sees patrols, but he zooms past them. Soon they are out of sight. The front of the base appears and Steve parks the jeep, leaping off the moment he can't. Soldiers come after him, some shooting from a distance, others running to face him in hand to hand combat.

Steve grabs those close and pulls them between him and the bullets. Then he throws his shield to take out three gunmen. After catching it, the bullets are deflected. He throws it and jumps to catch it after it bounces off a truck, effectively taking out the rest of his welcome committee.

He runs at the first door he sees. He opens it and slips inside. He's met by more soldiers not long after, who all end up on the floor. The next group find him at an intersection of hallways. He kicks one back, then takes the others out. He then stalks to the last one conscious. He sees the young man is fumbling to get his fake tooth loose. Steve forces his mouth open, rips the tooth out of his mouth. He throws it down the hall.

"Where is she..?" He asks, bringing the screaming soldier close.

The frantic eyes search Steve's furious blue orbs. He gulps. "I… I- You're-"

"Where is she?"

"They-He'll kill me," he says, forgetting in his fear he was about to kill himself earlier.

Steve raises a fist, "What do you think I'll do? Now where is she?"

"..Detention room, I think." Steve tightens his grip on his uniform. "That's where she's being held, I swear! I don't know if SD01's there now, I haven't been on guard duty since this morning!" He yells, raising his hands in surrender.

Steve glares at him a moment more. ' _SD01_? They gave her a _number_?' Steve hauls the poor soldier to his feet. Keeping an arm around his neck, he growls, "Where do I go?"

* * *

"Herr Schmidt, Captain America has infiltrated the grounds," a soldier states in the hangar.

"I have what I want, stay on schedule with departure," Red Skull answers.

"But.. Sir. It's only Captain America. The other Avengers-"

"He is still a formidable opponent, if you are thinking of facing him by yourself," Red Skull says, finally looking at the soldier. "I have what I need, there will be another confrontation with him, that I assure you. But for now, there are more pressing matters."

"What about SD01?"

Red Skull doesn't answer, only walks to his seat in the plane with a satisfied smirk.

* * *

A door opens in the distance. "She's through there, she's the only one."

"Thanks," is muttered, before a body hits the floor.

Footsteps resound with swift precision. Then they stop abruptly. The door is still broken on its hinges, so the figure just walks in, sinking to his knees.

"…Heather?"

She keep her eyes closed.

"Heather," he says louder. He puts three fingers on her shoulder and pushes a tiny bit.

"Uurmm.." She groans. She then opens one eye and looks at him lazily, "…S…Steve?"

"..What did they do to you?" He asks rhetorically. She's in what used to be a white shirt and pants, her hair is clipped short, and there are more injuries than he can even see.

He picks up her arm, which is limp over the side of the cot. He breaks the cuff on her wrist. She yelps, and he sees the bruises on her wrist, as well as swelling from a suspected broken bone. He reaches to her other wrist, seeing the same. He breaks the second cuff.

"Heather, Heather look at me," he says, putting a gentle hand on her cheek. She manages to open her eyes.

"I'm tired.. Steve," she says.

He takes a deep breath, "I'm getting you out of here, okay?"

She suddenly starts panicking, "Steve, he.. He has-"

Steve shushes her, wiping the grime from under her eyes.

"Hurt.. It hurt so much.." She whimpers.

"I know, and I'm sorry, okay. I am so sorry it took us so long to find you," he says. Heather squeezes her eyes closed. He looks over her body again, appalled by the blood. "Heather, is your back injured?"

Heather sniffs and nods. He looks at her knee again. There is a crude bandage around it. He moves over to it, keeping one hand in Heather's. He touches the cloth to see under but Heather starts to panic, so he stops.

"Heather-"

"He… he shot it.." Heather whimpers. Steve goes to her face again, "T-Twice."

"Heather, this is going to hurt, okay, but I need to pick you up."

Heather shakes her head, "N-No, don't, please."

"Heather," Steve says, gently, but firm, "There is a French base ten miles away. I have a truck outside, and it will take ten to fifteen minutes tops to reach it. Then I'll put you down." Heather continues to shake her head. "But I am not leaving you here, okay? And I need you to stay awake."

"I'm so tired.." Heather whispers.

"But I am not losing you," Steve says, "and that's an order."

Heather doesn't chuckle at his attempt at a joke, but the corner of her mouth twitches up for a second.

"Can I pick you up now?"

Heather takes a shaky breath, then nods. Steve shifts so he's on his toes. He carefully slides his hands under her back and legs. Heather tries to not protest, but it hurts so much.

Steve lifts with his legs. Heather screams in his ear, but he doesn't complain. "Heather, wrap your arms around my neck, if you can."

"I'll try," Heather whimpers. Her arms get up to his shoulders. She feebly grabs the leather at the seams of his uniform. She leans against his chest. Her back rubs against his armor, but she can feel his body heat.

"You're cold," Steve says as he turns around. He can feel the ragged lashes through his gloves. He feels nauseated when he realizes that they aren't all from her shirt.

"Yer warm.." Heather mumbles.

"Heather, don't fall asleep," Steve warns. He looks to his right. There's a lot of blood on the floor. A body had been cleared from the spot, making a clean spot in the middle. He turns away and starts down the hall.

"Steve.." Heather protests, wanting him to slow down.

"Keep talking Heather." Steve passes the soldier unconscious on the floor.

"I don't want to ta-"

"You don't have to talk about what happened," Steve assures. He turns a corner. There aren't any other soldiers around. "How about you sing something." He takes another corner. "Pick a song."

Heather thinks to herself.

"Heather?"

Heather sniffs, "I can't think of one."

"Then I'll start, and you can join in. It'll be a duet," Steve decides. He looks down at her for a moment, "Okay?"

Heather nods, her eyes half lidded.

Steve goes over the songs he knows in his head. He needs one that won't put her to sleep. "I used to bite my tongue and hold my breath, scared to rock the boat and make a mess. So I sat quietly, agree politely. I guess that I forgot I had a choice, I let you push me passed the breaking point-" Steve stops as he hears Heather sobbing to herself. "I stood for nothing, so I fell for everything."

He stops again and Heather is silent.

"You're turn. Do you remember the words?"

Heather opens her mouth and sings softly, "You held me down.. But I got… up. Already brushing off.. The…. Dust…"

"You hear my voice, you hear that sound," Steve continues, with Heather's voice still at the soft volume, "like thunder gonna shake the ground."

"You held me down but I.." Heather stops, "I.. I- I can't sing this one.. 'M sorry, I just.. I can't sing it."

"Heather keep your eyes open," Steve orders. 'Where are all the soldiers?' He reaches outside and looks around. "Heather, the jeep is right down there, okay? I have to run, but once I stop, I'll set you down and we'll go off to the French base, okay?"

Heather nods into his chest. Steve takes off. Heather whimpers, but the leather muffles her voice. Steve comes to the jeep and slows down. He steps up and into the back. "Okay Heather, you can let go. I've got you." He lays Heather down on the back seat. There's a couple blankets under the front passenger seat, so he lays them over her.

Steve looks at her shivering form, her face clenched in a constant reminder of her pain. He leans down, kissing her forehead. Heather sniffs, trying to allow the gesture to calm her. "Daddy…" she whimpers. Steve doesn't question the comment, but steps into the front of the jeep. He turns the engine on, and swings back around. He takes off down the road, pushing the limits of the jeep again. There is no patrol in the forest.

He's about halfway to the base, when something zooms into view. Steve doesn't look, but keeps his eyes on the road. A bright light comes closer. "Rogers!" Ironman yells.

"Yell at me later!" Steve yells back. Natasha was holding onto Thor's arm as he flew next to Tony. He lowers her carefully onto the speeding jeep. Natasha crouches in the back of the jeep, looking Heather over.

She swears something in Russian, "Heather.. Hey, sweetie, stay awake for me."

Heather opens her eyes. After one look at Natasha, she panics, closing her eyes quickly.

"Heather, it's Natasha. You remember me?"

Heather nods.

"I need you to stay awake."

"I.. I can't," Heather whimpers.

"You need to try, open your eyes," Natasha says.

"I can't!" Heather says, panicking more, "..You… You're.." Natasha puts a hand on her shoulder, careful to not add any pressure.

"Then keep talking to me, okay? Talk about whatever you want, as long as you keep talking."

"Stark! Tell them we'll be there asap!" Steve yells to the iron suit flying alongside them. Tony is about to say something, but Steve interrupts with, "NOW!"

The jeep barrels into the camp not a minute later, there's a stretcher waiting. Steve brings the jeep to a stop and the stretcher comes forward. A team of medical officers start to help Heather, checking her breathing, pulse, and airway. She starts to panic. The fact that they were speaking French doesn't help.

Steve comes around and puts a hand in hers. She looks at him. "You can trust them. They are here to help."

Heather is put on the stretcher and they cart her to the main building. Steve and Natasha follow.

"Steve-"

Steve turns around without stopping, "Not. Now." He turns back around and follows Heather, waving away anybody that attempts to look at his minor injuries. Most of the blood on his suit isn't his.

"-Elle a perdu beaucoup de sang, **[She's lost a lot of blood,]** " they hear once they walk into the room.

A nurse sees them. "Monsieur, madame, vous ne pouvez pas être ici- **[Sir, ma'am, you can't be in here-]** "

"Elle ne parle pas français, si quelqu'un lui demande a- **[She doesn't speak French, if someone asks her a-]** " Steve starts to explain, motioning to Heather.

"Je suis désolé monsieur, mais- **[I'm sorry sir, but-]** " The nurse interrupts, starting to wave them back out the door.

"Elle a peur et elle doit savoir que quelqu'un est là qu'elle sait- **[She's scared and she needs to know that someone is there that she knows-]** " Steve tries again.

"Capitaine Rogers peut donner son sang. Il est le bon sang, **[Captain Rogers can give her blood. He is the correct blood type,]** " Natasha says quickly. The nurse looks at her. "Elle perd du sang, c'est le seul qui peut l'aider, **[She's losing blood, he's the only one that can help with that,]** " Natasha finishes. The nurse sighs, then nods. She motions Steve to the bed next to Heather.

Natasha goes over to the doctors, telling them that they can't use pain medication on Heather, or they'll lose her. She gives the excuse that she is allergic to a lot of things in the medication they have. They still put an oxygen mask on her and they start a saline drip. Steve lets them draw his blood. He looks at Heather; She's unconscious.

* * *

 **HEATHER HAS BEEN RESCUED!**

 **But she's in terrible condition.**

 **Here's a few questions:  
1\. Why do you think Red Skull smirked at the mention of Heather?  
2\. Why do you think Heather panicked when she saw Natasha?  
3\. Why is Steve the only one that can give Heather blood?  
4\. WILL HEATHER SURVIVE/RECOVER FROM RED SKULL'S CRUELTY!?**

 **The world may never know.**

 **..I'm just kidding! Stay tuned for the next chapter! Where I try to write about something I know NOTHING ABOUT! (Hint hint: it involves sharp objects, precision, and saving Heather's life.)**

 **~CtW**


	32. Chapter 31

**Keep in mind, I have never been to a French military camp, nor am I a medical student.**

 **Well, on with the story!**

* * *

Steve opens his eyes. He was transferred to a bed in the medical ward after they drew what they needed from him. He had eaten a little bit, thinking he wouldn't get a lot of sleep. But then he sat down and realized just how tired he was. He was out immediately.

Someone knocks, so he looks up. Sam walks in, holding a tray. "Hungry?" He asks. Steve nods, sitting up. Sam walks forward. Steve takes the tray, which is full of food.

"Where's?"

"Heather's in surgery right now," Sam answers, "Thor and Natasha are doing what they can to keep Tony off you while you recuperate."

Steve takes a bite of a sandwich.

"That was stupid Steve," Sam comments.

Steve sighs, "Sam-"

"No no, I'm not the one that's going to chew you out, okay?" Sam explains, "but I am your friend. Leaving the Tower, in the state you were in, _alone_ , wasn't a plan, it was suicide." Steve doesn't answer. He finishes his second sandwich. "…But Heather's safe and you didn't kill yourself finding her so-"

Steve snorts softly at the tone Sam uses. Then he sobers, "…Is she really safe?" He looks up. "You saw her, Sam."

"She was covered in a blanket when I saw her," Sam corrects.

"She's…" Steve doesn't look Sam in the eye, "She's… She may not make it."

Sam pulls a chair over. "Hey." Steve looks up at him. Counselor Sam is back and looks Steve dead in the eye, "Whether or not, you did everything you could. We all did. Heather is a fighter. She won't give up and leave."

Steve takes a few deep breaths, breaking the eye contact. "Sam…"

"Yeah?"

"T-Two things.. One, Heather is not a fighter. She's never been one. She was always a protector, who stood up for people. But she was never a fighter, a soldier." Steve gulps, "..She was never meant for this life.."

"..And two?" Sam asks patiently.

"I.. I saw her face, Sam," Steve looks up, "I think she's already given up." Sam puts a hand on Steve's shoulder. "She's in so much pain," he gasps, feeling his chest aching.

Sam sighs, then leans over, "Come here, man," he wraps Steve in a hug, "you need this more than I do."

Steve hugs him back. Sam waits until Steve pulls away, then pats his back and stands up.

"You done with that?" Sam asks. Steve shakes his head and takes another bite. Sam smiles, "Thought not. Get some rest, I'll tell you about anything new." He walks out of the room. Steve slowly finishes the tray of food. A nurse comes in and checks his blood pressure, pulse, and a few other things.

"Je prendrais lentement, mais vous pouvez aller voir votre équipe, capitaine, **[I'd take it slow, but you can go see your team, Captain,]** " she says.

"Je vous remercie, **[Thank you,]** " Steve says, rubbing his arm absently. He stands up slowly and walks out into the hallway. French soldiers are sitting in a waiting room. Some have bandages, others look like they are waiting for news. When he walks in, most of the crowd stops and looks at him. Steve is a little baffled by the attention, so he salutes. Most salute back.

Steve carries on, finding people he knows, in non-soldier uniforms. He then frowns, walking faster. Natasha stands up to greet him.

"You brought them with?" He asks, motioning to the full Novelty team.

Natasha sighs, "What were we supposed to do?"

"Leave them at the Tower," Steve stresses.

"She's our friend, sir," Finn says, "we weren't going to wait to hear her condition."

"Besides," Tony stands up. He had taken off his armor. He stands and walks over to Steve, "you weren't there to vote." He then walks away, muttering he's going to check on Bruce.

Steve looks at the younger team. He sighs, "Well, you're here now."

"…Heather's still in surgery," Natasha informs him.

"Where?"

"Steve-"

"I'll take you," Josh says, standing. Everyone looks at him. "..I was going to check on her anyway. Follow me." He walks over to another hallway, Steve following close behind. He walks into a room, without a window much like the one when Fury was in surgery. It brings back negative memories of his 'death,' which Steve buries down.

Heather is laying on the table, her short hair covered and an oxygen mask covering half her face. The surgeons around her are working on the injuries that are infected, the life threatening ones. Steve looks at each group at a time.

Her back seems to be wrapped, and there are broken pieces of bloody string in a dish nearby. A surgeon is at her knee, with a couple nurses assisting. Steve sucks in a breath at the sight; her knee is _destroyed_. They are trying to clean it up a little, even putting her bones back in the right order. He stares at that surgeon's work until he puts his tools down and starts to wrap up what's left. Everyone else was done, he was the last to finish.

"Is she on anything?" Josh asks.

Steve sighs, "No. Her version of the serum would rebel against the medicine."

The nurses roll Heather out of the room. Steve turns around, seeing that August had snuck into the back of the room, watching silently, and deep in thought. He looks at Steve, noticing that he's staring. August clears his throat and takes his back off of the wall. "Captain." Not nods, then walks out of the room.

Steve looks at Josh for an explanation. Josh looks at the door. "He's.. He's lost people." Josh looks back at Steve to say, "We all have."

Steve puts a hand on his shoulder and nods in understanding.

"He's a good person, but- He has a hard time showing it sometimes." Josh starts for the door, "I'd better check on him. Tell me how Heather is, yeah?"

"Sure." Josh goes out the door. "And Josh?"

Josh pokes his head back into the room.

"..You're a good person too." Josh nods, then leaves again.

* * *

Steve is handed the doctor's report. He sighs, walking to the room. Due to Heather's delicate situation, she's placed in an empty room. He sits on the bed next to her. Her hair is shorter now, chopped uneven, like Bucky's when he was the Winter Soldier. She was changed out of her ragged clothes into a clean hospital gown. Her arms are above the blankets, with thick padding around her wrists.

Steve looks away. 'Okay,' he thinks shakily. He starts to read, 'Injuries: One hundred and twenty-four lashes on patient's back, two of which trail up patient's right shoulder,' he takes a deep breath, 'fractures on.. both wrists. Bruises were found on patient's stomach, chest, back, legs, arms, neck, and face. So.. Basically _everywhere_.' He looks at the next one, "Cuts and calluses on b- _both_ feet? Blood loss, infection on the-"

The clipboard is taken out of his hands. Steve sighs, swiping the tears under his eyes. He feels the trails other tears made while he thought he was holding them in. A person sits next to him.

"Can you still read them?" Steve whispers, "I want to know."

There's silence from the person and Steve doesn't look up to see who they are. He guesses Sam, or Natasha. Thor would have started speaking already. It's hard to miss him. Steve hears the paper crinkling as the person looks it over.

"..Major dehydration and lack of nutrients." The voice turns out to belong to August. He doesn't look at Steve when he realizes this. "Small puncture holes in the patient's left shoulder, neck, and inside her left elbow." Steve closes his eyes. "Skin on the back of the patient's head was found to be sensitive, with light bruising. As well as a thin scar on the left of the head."

Suddenly, all Steve can think of is the sound of something hitting metal from Heather's recording.

August keeps going, "Nerves appear damaged, but it is too early to determine if it is permanent. There are four stab wounds, two on the patient's left side, one under the right shoulder blade, and one on the back of the left leg. One deep gash along the back of the right bicep.

"All five had been crudely stitched up before examination. Four broken ribs, two on each side of the chest. Patient's right eye is black. A fake tooth was found on the right side of the patient's mouth. Not life threatening, but is advised to be removed. Patient has a cut on the lower lip. Most critical injury-" August stops and looks at Steve.

Steve nods for him to continue, with waves of tears going down his face. The teen watches the soldier for a moment. Steve is sitting, his shoulders slumped, with a thousand yard stare in his eyes. He isn't looking at Heather, but at the same time, nothing else has his attention. His hair is a mess and his face is grimy with clear paths running thickly down his cheeks and along his the side of his nose.

August turns back to the paper. "Extensive comminuted fractures in patient's left knee. Entrance and exit wounds suggest bullets as the cause."

 _"_ _He.. He shot it,"_ Heather had said, " _T-Twice."_

"Additional surgery suggested to correct bone position, but.." August gulps, "patient needs to be moved to an actual hospital to get appropriate care. The injury is non-fatal, but.. without proper care, patient may.. may never walk.. Again." August puts the clipboard down, looking at the floor.

"…I didn't know you read French," Steve says absently. August looks at him. Steve hadn't moved.

"There's a lot you don't know about me," August says.

"..You lost your parents?" Steve asks.

"Yeah." August wipes the tears. He wasn't a stone heart, he was surprised he even finished reading.

"…Can you tell me about it?"

August nods after a moment. "My parents went.. out for the night. My brother.. He was four at the time, I was three. The babysitter put us in her car and carefully drove to the hospital barely an hour after they left. My parents were both in surgery, unresponsive."

Steve looks at him, coming out of his guilt induced trance.

"At least that's what I was told," August says, "I only remember the doctor sitting Josh and I down and telling us that they didn't make it."

"Car crash?" Steve asks.

August nods, "A truck barreled into their car when it was supposed to wait at an intersection. …Not long after, we were under the wing of Master Ikeda. Half a year after that, she adopted us."

"Do you remember anything about your parents?"

"…My mother loved writing. We have a few books she had published. And our dad.." August thinks back for a second. "He loved my mom. ..And he was a martial artist. He and Master Ikeda shared a dojo to train young boys and girls in self-defense."

Steve hums, to show August that he heard him. But he was back in his thoughts.

"…I.. I know I don't know Heather that well," August starts, looking at her, "but.. It hurts to…" August sighs, "I apologize for how I acted around her, Captain. She just-"

"Got on your nerves?" Steve asks, a small smile on his face. They share a look. "She does that sometimes." He turns back to look at Heather, "She's also stubborn, childish, emotional to a fault, loyal as well. She's determined in everything she does, and won't let anyone look down on her because of either her age, or her sex."

"I heard she loves music," August says.

"That she does." Steve sighs, "I forgive you, August. But I'm not the one you need to seek forgiveness from."

"I know, Captain, I just-"

"It's _Steve_ , August."

August nods.

"Steve." Both look at Natasha in the doorway. "The Science Bros are asking for you."

Steve stands up. August follows, finding his friends with the others. The Avengers were given a private room, so they didn't have to get lost amongst the rest of the base.

The 'science bros' are standing at a table with two projects on it. "What are these?" He asks.

Tony motions to Bruce. "Uh, okay. It's still a work in progress, I think.." he says, picking up the smaller of the two. It's a vial attached to an administer device.

"What is it?" Steve asks.

"If it works.. A replacement medication for Heather. It would be a pain killer," Bruce answers. Steve's eyebrows go up. "I brought it, finishing the synthesizing on the Quinjet because I think it could work."

"Think?" Clint asks.

"..Well.. What could go wrong?" Tony asks.

"A lot could go wrong," Sam answers. He turns to Steve. "But it's your call."

Steve leans his palms on the table, closing his eyes, "It should be Heather's call."

"She has yet to wake up," Natasha points out.

Steve opens his eyes and sees the second object on the table. "What about that one?"

Tony picks up something that looks like a high tech flashlight, "This is a special kind of light I had developed. It is a safe light that when used properly, will be able to show Heather's hidden scars." Tony puts it down, "But I have a feeling, we won't need it."

Steve stands up, rubbing his eyes, "Yes, use it. The doctors are going to but Heather in surgery again to fix her knee as best they can, you can test it then."

"Only a small dose, Bruce," Tony reminds, walking after him.

* * *

 **I think it's a safe assumption that she will live. YAY! (Did you really think I'd kill off my MAIN character? ..I knew you didn't.)**

 **But Heather is very, very beat up. I had to sit down and actually make a list of her injuries. That may not even be all of them, but just what they can see. I don't know what equipment they would have there. But that's most of it.**

 **So, if Heather can't have anything to knock her out, reduce the pain, and such.. how did she have the first surgery?  
Simple. She is so out of it from her capture and her injuries, that her body is forcing herself to sleep. (Have I mentioned 'hyper immunity' before? No? ..Oh... I'll get to that.)**

 **That may change in her second surgery, don't you think?**

 **And we learn more about August.**

 **I realized once I got to this point that the 'light thing' is not necessary here. I may take it out and put it later if I ever revise.  
FYI, those were the 'projects' the Science Bros were working on before.  
**

 **Final question: Will the new medication work?**

 **~CtW**


	33. Chapter 32

**Finally finished this one. We are close to the end of this part of her story.**

* * *

The whole crew is watching Heather in surgery. She's still unconscious, but her face is in pain, like she's aware of what's going on. Bruce is in doctor's garb, holding the needle. "Heather," Bruce says, "this is Bruce Banner. Can you hear me?"

Steve watches Heather intently. She doesn't move.

"I am going to give you something that should help with the pain. It will help you sleep better." Heather doesn't respond again. Bruce moves the needle to her neck. He administers the medicine and steps back.

They all watch Heather. She doesn't respond for a moment. Then her back arches a little and she groans. Her heart rate goes up.

"What's going on?" Finn asks.

"Her bodies rejecting the medicine," Nikki says softly, "it's treating it as a harmful substance. ..Is it?"she looks at Tony.

"No, it's not. But her immune system doesn't know the difference."

The doctors are told repeatedly by Bruce that they can't give her anything from their supplies. They stand their helpless until Heather calms down. Bruce then leaves and the doctor starts opening Heather's bandages to get some progress done with her knee.

Steve turns away. He walks through the small crowd, finding the wall along the back. He balls his fist up and aims to knock a hole in the wall. But instead, his knuckles barely tap on the plaster. He leans his forehead into it.

"We'll work on it, run tests. It will work someday, I promise you," Tony says.

Steve nods, "I know."

He feels a hand on his shoulder, "I'm going to the mess hall."

He turns to look at Natasha. He shakes his head at her hidden question, "Not hungry."

Natasha turns away, planning on bringing him leftovers later. Steve sits on a chair along the wall. Slowly, Avengers leave the room. Clint meets up with Natasha, Tony goes to consult with Bruce, Sam wants to stay, but admits to being tired from everything. Steve doesn't take the hint.

Thor stays in the room. "A foolish lot we've been," he says thoughtfully.

Steve looks up, "What?"

"I was so… battle-hungry, in my youth. I craved the feeling of adrenaline caused by a bout with foes," Thor clenches his fist, "Heather.. The young lass, was not as I was. She sought to protect, to shield. She found joy after all the dark around her. And the dark sickened her to her core."

Thor looks at Steve.

"Perhaps the very act of making her to be a warrior is what caused her capture. She is no more one of youth now than she was when we first met her. What has been done that wrought such a consequence?" Thor motions to the glass separating them from Heather.

"Thor, this isn't your fault," Steve says quietly.

Thor looks at Heather again, "Such a valkyrie she is… Mjolnir would have found her worthy, for her heart could belong in the treasure rooms of Asgard. Purer gold as any."

"She isn't dying. ..Sir," Jacey says.

Thor turns to her, "With that you are right. But I fear the Heather we knew is not the same lass that was returned to us. And, Asgardian tradition is to celebrate the attributes of those who have been dealt great trials, whether or not they live to tell them to us." Thor smiles a little, "and the tales of Heather Morse, Collinsdoitr will never be forgotten."

Jacey nods, sitting up a little straighter.

"What is your name, young lady?" Thor asks.

"Jacey Sallow."

"I have heard you are a shape shifter?"

Jacey nods, "Yes sir."

Finn elbows her, "Maybe the _prince of Asgard_ wants to see how your training is going," he says, stressing Thor's position.

Jacey perks up. "..Do you?"

"I'd be delighted, Lady Jacey." Jacey blushes at the title.

"Okay.. But only if Finn comes with and shows _his_ ability." Finn chuckles a little, then the three go to find a place away from the doctors and soldiers.

Steve is left with Nikki, Josh, and August. Nikki is smiling. "That'll keep their mind off Heather's…" Nikki looks at her hands, "situation."

"Finn and Jacey were close to Heather," Josh answers, "they have things in common with her. Jacey's an animal person, Finn is an artist."

"You and Heather seemed to be getting along well," August admits.

Josh shrugs, "It's not like she told me her secrets. But I guess I made her laugh sometimes."

"That's good," Steve admits, "Heather had few things to laugh about."

Nikki takes a breath, then stands up, "I'm going to the cafeteria. Anyone want anything?"

"An apple, if they have one," Josh says, "two, actually."

Nikki nods, "August? Are you coming with?"

August nods, "I'll stay here, thanks. But I'll take a water." Nikki leaves after a curious glance in August's direction. He sits next to his brother, examining his hands. Nikki walks back in briefly, gives they boys what they asked for, then goes to find their friends.

Josh takes a bite of an apple, then tosses one at Steve. He looks up just in time to catch it. Josh shrugs, then takes another bite. Steve looks at the apple. He laughs wryly to himself, then takes a bite. Chewing slowly, he looks back at Heather. Her knee is open, and the doctor's are slowly moving bones around to where they should go.

But at the end of the surgery, they can only wrap it tightly, and put a brace on her knee so the bones can't move.

* * *

Blurry shapes sit around the room. There are muddled voices.

"-what does that mean, Tony?" someone whispers.

"It's a coma like state. She can only be monitored, they can't give her anything the speed up her healing-"

"She'll be alright.. Won't she?" Another voice asks.

"We don't know, Jacey-"

"-Everyone is asking that question-"

"-Only she can answer that." All three responses are said at the same time.

"Her body is-"

"Heather?"

Everyone turns to the patient. She has her eyes half lidded, looking around with as little movement as possible. She has a breathing contraption over her mouth. Her brow is still creased in constant pain, but now confusion deepens them. Her vision is slow to clear and all conversations have ceased.

Heather feels something clutching her hand. She looks down her arm, seeing a big hand attached to it. She follows up the second arm to see Steve with stubble and bruises. She sees Sam standing behind him, and Natasha just to his right. Thor is sitting on a bed adjacent from hers, Tony is conversing with Clint and Bruce by the door.

What surprises Heather is the people to her left. All her friends are here. Josh is mirroring Steve, only without holding her hand. Jacey and Nikki are on the empty bed behind him and Finn is sitting by her feet. If she leans her head a little to the left, she can see August leaning against the wall, watching her.

She notices that everyone is still looking at her, expecting something. She sighs shakily, "Hi everyone."

There are exclamations from everyone about how she's awake. Heather flinches at the noise. "She's still sensitive, try to be quiet," Natasha insists, noticing their mistake. She motions to the door, looking at the teens. Josh looks at Heather and smiles at her gently. Then they all stand up and file out the door. August is the last one.

"What..?" Heather looks out the door, "What are they doing here? Where am I?" She starts to fidget in her spot panic-kingly looking from Thor to Natasha, "What's going on-?"

Steve sets a gentle hand on her shoulder, "Heather, calm down. We'll answer your questions, but you are very injured."

"I.." She tries to swallow, "I can't… If-"

"If what? What's scaring you?"

Heather takes a breath, closing her eyes, "C-Can Thor and N-Natasha leave? Please?" The two share a look, then begrudgingly leave.

"Okay, their gone Heather. You can open your eyes." Heather stops moving, letting her injuries rest.

Steve looks at the others, then decides it is his job to talk to her. But right as he opens his mouth, Clint fills in for him. "What do you remember, Heather?"

Heather thinks for a moment. "..Steve rescued me. He set me down in a jeep. Someone landed next to me.." Heather closes her eyes again, 'Red, red.. So much-'

"..What do you remember after?" Clint asks.

"…Nothing," Heather admits.

"You don't remember the doctors, you weren't awake during anything after?" Clint asks. Everyone lets him do the talking. Heather shakes her head. "Okay. Now I'll answer your questions. Where you are? This is a French military base. Steve brought you here after he rescued you for medical treatment. Next, what is happening. You had two surgeries, Heather. One took care of your immediate injuries, then the second tried to piece together your knee."

Heather closes her eyes and swallows, "…Tried?"

"They managed to put the pieces back, but it will take a long time to heal. You have a brace on it now, can you feel it?"

Heather nods.

"Good."

"How long ago was my surgery?" Heather asks.

"..It was a couple days ago?"

Heather takes a few rushed breaths, "What?" Beeping erupts next to her. She turns her head, yelping. She sees a machine with lights and some cords coming from it. She pulls at them when she sees the are connected to her arm.

"Heather, calm down," Sam says, going to that side of the bed.

"Needles," Heather gasps.

"No, no needles, see," he shows her the end of the cord. "It's a pad, Heather. It's listening to your heartbeat. Here, touch it if you want." Heather hesitates, then lifts her finger and pokes the pad. "See? No needle, no mark." A nurse comes in and checks the machine. She then helps remove the oxygen mask and leaves.

"W-Why was I out for two days? Why did you have to monitor my heart?"

"Tony calls it.." Clint looks back at the genius to confirm, "hyper immunity?"

"That's it," Tony assures.

Clint turns back, "It means your body diverts all its available energy to you immune system, to heal fatal wounds. That means your brain, heart, and lungs are functioning at their very lowest. It's like a coma.. Only-"

"I have a higher chance of dying.." Heather pieces together.

Clint nods, "Something like that. We couldn't give you anything, so it was only a matter of time that we wait."

"…Why are my friends here?"

Clint looks at Steve. "They should explain that. Who do you want to talk to?"

"Josh."

"I'll go get him," Bruce says. He leaves, then comes back with Josh.

"Want us to give you the room?" Steve asks. Heather nods. "Okay. Don't try to get up, alright? You're safe. You're safe." He stands up and everyone but Josh leaves. Heather watches him sit on his previous chair.

"I guess neither of us have been honest," Josh laughs wryly. Heather looks at him curiously. "You didn't tell us you were a super soldier, and we didn't tell you about our.. 'club'," he says, using quotes. Heather raises her eyebrows. "The five of us- plus a couple other friends- are a team, like the Avengers only more secret. And.. Less equipped," Josh admits.

"..Wow," is all Heather can think to say.

"That time we were at the gym? We have to discretely leave for a mission."

"Well, you fooled me," Heather says.

"Hey.. I'm sorry we didn't tell you."

Heather gulps, "Same here. ..Why did you come with?"

"We were helping the Avengers find you. After Captain Rogers took off, the rest brought us along."

Heather doesn't look at him, but examines her hands, "…Do you have powers?"

"If you mean butt-kicking ninja skills, then yeah," Josh says, hoping to make her laugh, "but flight, super strength, and/or telepathy? Nope, just your average everyday Joe on the street."

Heather hums to herself.

"The others though? They either use tech or they do have powers. We'll show you when we get back."

"Back where?"

"To the States. We aren't staying in France." Heather hums again, leaning deeper into the pillows behind her and sighing tiredly. "..Do.. Do you have any other questions?"

Heather sighs, "No not right now. I'm just so tired."

"I'll get someone to sit with you. Captain Rogers says you shouldn't be left alone."

"Can.. Can you stay with me?" Heather asks.

Josh sits back down and smiles at her, "I'd be honored." Heather leans back and closes her eyes again. But then she remembers something and tries to sit up, "What is it?"

"I need to talk to-" she gasps for air.

"Heather? Heather, breathe-" Josh says, trying to help her back down without hurting her.

"Steve!" Heather yells, "I need Steve!"

Steve pushes the door open and is at her side in a moment, "What is it Heather? Deep breaths, go slow."

"Blood," Heather says, "Red Skull… blood-"

"Heather, you're not making sense," Steve says gently.

Heather feels tears slip down her cheeks. She shows Steve the inside of her elbow. She taps it furiously. "Needle, blood. _My_ blood. Red Skull.."

Steve swallows thickly, "He wanted the serum…" he looks away from her arm, "he knew your serum was different? He wants to replicate it?"

Heather nods, sniffing.

Steve nods, a plan forming, "Okay. Lay back, Heather. You've been through more than we can understand."

"But Skull-"

"I'll find him, I promise Heather. I"ll find him. He'll never hurt you again," Steve vows, "but I need you to lay down and rest."

Heather nods, putting her head on the pillows again. Steve looks at Josh.

"Take care of her. The Quinjet will be prepped to take you six to a SHIELD facility in the US. It's a hospital for those attacked by Hydra. They know she's coming."

"You said-"

"If you are not comfortable with that, I understand. You can wait here until we return."

Josh looks at Heather, "No, she needs attention asap. August may not be happy with it, but she needs to get home."

Steve offers his arm across the bed. Josh accepts it, in an elbow to wrist grab. Steve nods, then leaves to find the other Avengers; they have a villain to find.

* * *

 **Okay, so here's what we've learned:**

 **Answer: No, the medicine does not help. There are still some problems.  
** **Now Steve knows about Red Skull. And the Avengers are after him.  
Heather now knows about the Novelty.  
Thor is have some reflection time, realizing that maybe they shouldn't have given Heather the serum, if this would happen eventually. (Do you think he's right?)  
I had a little fun with writing him. He speaks in such a Shakespearian way, you know?  
'Collinsdoitr' is like 'Odinson' but for girls. That's how it's spelled, I think..  
Heather's having a hard time adjusting.**

 **Still a question: Has your idea of why Heather was so scared of Natasha changed? Did you find it in here? What do you think?**

 **~CtW**


	34. Chapter 33

**I decided to leave this chapter as it is. The next scene will be in Chapter 34.**

 **We are so close to the end everyone! (Well.. I'm only getting reviews from one person.. so... 'everyone' is a bit of a stretch.)**

* * *

The night sky hangs above the Quinjet as it crosses the ocean. The six on board have been silent for the first portion of the trip. Heather stares at the metal ceiling blankly. She was transferred to a gurney the Avengers had stored away. Her leg is strapped down tightly, while she has normal straps across her chest and legs so she doesn't fall off during turbulence.

Josh is holding a handle hanging from the ceiling, standing at Heather's left shoulder. She sometimes looks away from the ceiling at him. At those times, he smiles a little, hoping it helps. She just looks away or closes her eyes for a moment. Josh looks up.

Finn and Jacey are both at their respective seats along the wall of the Quinjet. Finn is watching Heather a little, but averts his eyes when he sees Josh had caught him. Jacey doesn't notice Josh's gaze, but carefully watches Heather's chest rise and fall with a teary eyed expression.

Turning to the front of the plane, he can see August's head poking up from the pilot's seat. No one needs to be there, because Jarvis is sending them to the coordinates programed. But August had sat down the moment they walked on, and has yet to move, or speak. Nikki is in the co-pilot's seat, and she looks around same as Josh a few times, but looks to August most of them. 'She's waiting for what will happen next,' Josh assumes.

The Quinjet hits another pocket of turbulence. Heather whimpers at the sound and movement. Her hand tries to go to her knee. Josh sighs, putting his hand over hers. "Hurts.." Heather says.

"We'll be there soon, okay, Heather? SHIELD knows you're coming, you'll be taken care of."

"Approaching United States border," Jarvis states, "estimated time of arrival, two hours."

Heather's face is still scrunched up more than usual. Josh thinks fast. "Heather," he waits until he looks over at him. "Do you want to know about our abilities?"

Everyone but August looks at Josh. "..Sure.." He looks down at Heather after getting silent permission from them.

He smiles, "Well, I'm the only one that doesn't have any extra tech or abilities. I simply use my martial arts and weapons."

"Just an average Joe on the street?" Heather repeats his words.

He gives her a cheeky grin, "Exactly." His heart breaks a little, missing her laugh. "Nikki, has these gloves that can change an element to a different one, separate a compound into the elements inside it, and.." Heather has a pained look on her face, but is trying to focus. "And other science-y stuff."

"I'll show you later, Heather," Nikki says from her seat.

"Jacey has a clip that allows her to shape shift into anything," Josh continues.

"Not anything," Jacey says, standing up. She walks over, trying to smile at Heather. But she sees the tears in her eyes. Jacey shows Heather her clip. Heather reaches up with her right hand and touches the braided metal with a finger tip. She puts her arm back down, her wrist still healing. "I can change into a different person of my same age, or an animal."

Josh watches Heather's expression as she pieces together Jacey's love of animals with her powers. Heather is less pale than when she was first brought in, but Josh guesses that she's going to be sick from the environment she was in. Her cheeks are flush while the rest of her face has less color.

"..Here, one second." Jacey closes her eyes. She starts to change. She shrinks closer to the floor. Josh goes to her side of the gurney and picks her up. "I'm a kitten!" Jacey says, her voice a little higher. Heather lets a small 'aww' at seeing her friend as a small tan kitten.

Jacey stretches her front paws towards Heather. Josh sets her down on the gurney near Heather's head. Jacey curls up in the crook of Heather's neck. She feels Heather's heartbeat and starts purring. Heather closes her eyes and listens. She doesn't point out she's a dog person.

"Finn is the only one that has an actual power, because Jacey can allow anyone she chooses to use the clip. But Finn's paint ability doesn't come from anything he carries."

"Paint?" Heather asks.

"I can make animate objects by drawing them," Finn says, coming over. He silently waited for his turn. "Any animals or people look like they are made of paper, if you look closely. But I have to be careful to get every part acc-"

Heather had opened her eyes as she heard him walk over. Then she starts to breathe heavily. "Heather? Heather, what's wrong?" Josh asks. Finn stares at her, trying to pinpoint what about him she is panicking about.

"Heather.." Finn takes a step closer, but Heather panics more, so he takes a step back. Josh looks up, seeing August opposite of him. August looks Heather over, trying to figure out what to do.

"Heather.. Talk to us, please," Jacey says. She had leaped away from Heather and changed back.

"..Skull.." Heather breathes. She touches her neck, as if she's being choked.

"Heather, breathe," August says.

"Skull.." She says again, "Shull.. He- he-"

"Finn, I think it's your jacket," Nikki says. Finn looks down at his bright red zip up jacket, splattered with a rainbow of paint. He also touches his face, where red, blue, and green paint hiding his identity.

"Heather," August says, calmly, "is it the color red? Is that what is bothering you?"

Heather nods, whimpering. She's staring at Finn's jacket. August puts a hand on her chin and turns her away. She stares at him, tears falling down her face. "Finn, hide your jacket," Nikki orders.

"But it's also on my face-"

"I think there are some wipes over here," Jacey says. They both walk away.

Heather and August are in a different world for a moment. "..Breathe," he says demonstrating for her. Heather is still gasping. "Breathe Heather," he whispers, "Steve will get him, okay? You're safe."

Heather whimpers, nodding that she understands.

"But I need you to breathe, Heather," he whispers still. "Breathe for Steve. Breathe for the others." Heather takes a deeper breath than gasps. "Breathe for _me_ ," he says, so quiet she doesn't catch it. Heather's breath starts to even out more.

"Jacey, can you help?" Josh asks. Jacey comes back and she's nestled by Heather's head again. She purrs as loud as she can, helping Heather calm further. She closes her eyes, focusing on her breathing. Josh looks at August, but his brother is already halfway back to the pilot's seat.

Finn sits at the metal chairs again, sitting in his white t-shirt, dark blue jeans, and accessories. His face is clean and his jacket is stashed in an empty locker he found. He stares at the floor before him, 'Is Thor right? Did my friend come back, or is that someone else in her place?' He wonders.

August stares at the console in front of him, then sees the blinking light. He presses a button next to it, "Go home, Rick. We'll take it from here."

There's a second of static before he hears, "Alright." The light turns off. Nikki looks at August a moment. He senses her gaze and shakes his head; he doesn't know what to do. She turns and sits next to Finn. She takes off her gloves and puts them on an empty seat. She puts an arm around Finn, allowing him to lean into her.

"Go sit down, Josh," Jacey whispers from her cat form, "I'll watch her." Josh turns to the empty co-pilot seat. He sits down and looks at August.

"..You're scared," Josh says.

August sighs to himself, "I'm _tired_."

"You can't do anything to help her. The Avengers didn't let you go with them to capture-"

"I respect their choice," August says sternly.

"Don't try to hide it from me, brother," Josh says, turning to look at him, "I know you too well."

August stares out at the clouds and patchwork land below them, "She won't die."

"That isn't your worry," Josh says, "What are you worried for?"

August sighs, looking in the rear view mirror. He can see Heather's head, where her chopped hair is tucked between her and the gurney. "What did they take from this world?"

* * *

 **Heather is going to have a lot of things different about her, starting with new fears.  
** **And the fear of red is one of them.**

 **... Ahh sewer apples. I was going to put something down here. I mean, it was a really cool comment! And I forgot it. (Get the reference?)**

 **...**

 **Thoughts on this episode? What you think the team is going through (individually) and etc.?**

 **Hope to hear from my loyal reader!(s, if there are more of you.)**

 **~CtW**


	35. Chapter 34

**IMPORTANT STUFF AT THE END (..as usual, I guess. But very important this time!)**

* * *

"Okay team, this mission has two purposes," Steve says. Everyone is at attention, watching him. "Taking down the Hydra base Red Skull is at, and stopping Red Skull. For good this time." Everyone nods.

"Clint, you are in charge of taking down their communications and defenses once inside. Tony, you need to locate the serum and Red Skull. Then you will join Natasha, Sam, and me to take him down." He turns to the last two. "Thor, Bruce, do you two mind guarding the Mini-jet and taking out any soldier outside the compound?"

"It would be my honor, Captain," Thor says. Bruce nods in agreement.

"We don't know how many soldiers he has. This isn't a base we hit already," Steve states, "if your area is clear, join us as fast as you can." Steve looks at Clint too so he has the idea, "we'll improvise from there."

"What about SHIELD?" Natasha asks.

Sam answers for her, "Fury told us they are waiting for the signal. They'll step in like before, as clean up."

"Yeah, it's not like there's a lunatic with his hands on serum or anything," Steve mutters to himself. Tony scoffs a laugh, Clint snickers, and both Natasha and Sam roll their eyes. "What?"

"It seems like the young Lass has left an impression on you, Captain," Thor states. Everyone goes silent.

Steve looks out the front windshield of the Mini-jet. The forest parts up ahead as the Hydra Research Facility comes into view.

"Here we go," Clint says, putting the arrow he was fiddling with into one of his quivers.

"Ironman," Steve says, putting on his helmet.

"Checking comms," Tony comments, putting his face plate down.

"Loud and clear," Sam answers for everybody. The ramp opens up and Ironman flies out. The outer defenses lock onto him, so he flies out of their range and scans the building.

"I got Schmidt, in the west wing of the compound," Ironman says through the comm, "and the serum is in the middle, already surrounded by scientists."

"Landing gear is out," Natasha states. The rest of the fliers exit the Mini-jet and join the fight. Bruce starts turning green as Natasha turns the Mini-jet around. He leaps off, finishing his transformation, and crashes into the first wave of soldiers. Natasha stands up. She, Steve, and Clint rush out, heading for the facility.

Thor's boisterous laugh can be heard through the trees. Steve throws his shield, keeping his eye on the doors as much as he can. The three reach the doors and Steve punches his shield into the lock. The doors start to open, "Stark?"

"You said we'll have to improvise, right?" Ironman says.

"What about it?"

"Well, I'm improvising," he says. Steve looks up and sees his suit ducking out of the way of bullets and attacking with his hand repulsers. "I'll meet up with you later. Thor and Hulk need a hand."

"Understood." Clint had already disappeared. Falcon joins Steve and Natasha as she looks at a holo-pad showing the details Ironman scanned from the base.

"This way," Natasha says. She turns down a hall and the others follow.

"Back up would be appreciated," Hawkeye says through the comm.

"Go," Steve tells Natasha. She nods, giving him the pad. Steve talks into his comm, "Ironman, when you're done outside, you and Widow will find the serum. Destroy every drop of it."

"Yes sir," Ironman says mockingly. Steve rolls his eyes and Sam follows him as they get closer to Red Skull's position. Most of the soldiers seem to be outside, but there are a few pockets of stragglers. Steve stops at a set of stairs.

"He's up there," Steve says. He presses a button on the pad. The screen goes away. He stores the thin metal projector in his belt as they start up the stairs. Steve takes his shield out at the top. He signals to Sam, counting down to one. He kicks the door down and blocks a round of bullets from inside. The gunfire stops and Steve rushes in. Sam follows. They each take a side, the few Hydra soldiers in the room hitting the floor, less than a minute after the fight started.

"Captain America, and one of his new friends, Falcon," Steve turns around and looks at Red Skull. He's standing calmly at the back of the room, where there is a big window overlooking a factory. In the middle of the room, there is a pair of couches and a rug, as well as a bookshelf behind Sam. Sam steps forward a little while Steve and Skull have a staring contest. He sees tanks and scientists.

'To create an army, no doubt,' Sam puts together.

"..Tell me, how's Ms. America?"

Steve's gut twists at the nickname. He takes a step forward and punches Red Skull. The villain hits the glass behind him.

Testing his jaw, he says, "You cannot punch yourself out of any situation, Captain."

"You're going to pay for your crimes against the world, Schmidt," Sam says.

Skull looks at him, "And who are you to think you can stop me?"

He takes out a gun and shoots at Sam. He ducks out of the way. Steve slams the star of his shield into Skull's arm. The gun falls to the floor and there are cracks in the glass.

"Are you really here on behalf of the world, Captain?" Red Skull asks, "or are you protecting a broken child you dragged into your fight?"

Steve yells. He twists around, aiming his shield at Red Skull. Red Skull ducks down. The shield hits the glass. Red Skull appears behind him and kicks him. Steve falls into the open space below. He puts his shield below him, bracing for impact.

He lands on one of the tanks, making a giant hole. He slides off his shield and onto the rubble. He can hear blows being exchanged in the room above him. Then Red Skull is tossed out the broken window, yelling the entire way. Sam appears, looking around. He sees Steve and flies down.

"Steve," he says, helping him up.

"I'm alright. And so will he."

"I'll take the high road," Sam says, then takes off again. Red Skull pushes a glass wall off of him, hearing it shatter as it finds a sharp object. All the scientists have scattered at the fight being taken to their level.

"Not going to blow up your base this time, Schmidt?" Steve asks, walking around.

"I believe I am more than capable with handling you this time," Skull says, his voice bouncing off the tanks.

"He's on your left, Steve," Sam says through the comm. Steve chuckles, turning to his right.

"You do not have all your wits gathered," Skull continues, "you are not only mad at me-"

"I am passed mad, Skull," Steve says, seeing the villains reflection in front of him.

"You are also mad at yourself." Steve turns around. He throws a punch, but is countered. He throws his shield but Red Skull deflects it. Sam sees it flying and goes after it. He catches it, then looks back at the super soldiers locked in hand-to-hand combat.

"What made her so special to you?" Skull says, "you did not just lose a soldier, did you?"

Steve pins him, but is kneed in the stomach. He falls onto broken glass.

He holds his side, feeling the glass press through his kevlar. He closes his eyes. 'No, not now,' he orders himself. 'She should be hanging out with friends, doing homework, joking with her siblings, fed up with her parents, laughing at dumb jokes, cheering up a stranger, finding a positive in the darkest day..' All the things Steve wished Heather could still do races through his mind. He feels tears spring up.

"You lost a friend, dare I say, _family._ "

Steve yells, flipping to stand up. Red Skull takes out a gun, which was stored next to a tank for a future soldier to use. Steve ducks out of the way, hiding behind a piece of broken metal.

"What did she do, Captain? Did she make you feel human!"

"Cap!" Sam throws the shield. Steve catches it, throwing at the gun in Red Skull's hand. The broken gun is forgotten in favor of another one. Sam takes out his guns and rains down on Red Skull. A few take a hit, but the rest embed into the tanks around him. A piece of glass is thrown into the air. Sam tries to avoid it, but it shatters against his wing and chest.

"Falcon!" Steve starts running in the direction his friend is falling.

"SHIELD's here, coming to you, Cap," Clint says through the comm. Steve runs up a slanted piece of metal and jumps. He catches Sam mid-fall. They roll to a stop in one of the aisles.

"Sit this out, Sam, you've done enough," Steve says.

Sam stands up slowly, "No way. I'm seeing this through, Running Man."

Steve turns around. Red Skull is at the end of the aisle.

He takes a moment to look around, "All this is possible because of that little spit fire of yours."

"Heather is stronger than you think," Steve says.

"Oh yes, I'll be sure to monitor her healing-" Steve takes out one of the guns. He shoots Red Skull in the shoulder. Sam picks up his guns and aids. Red Skull ducks behind a tank. Steve nods for Sam to go around the other way. He drops the gun.

"Stark, Romanoff, find the serum," Steve whispers through the comm. He slowly walks around the tank, his shield in front of him.

"Copy that," Natasha says, "everyone else is coming to you."

Red Skull jumps off the top of the tank, onto Steve. He rolls and they both end up on the floor. Red Skull punches Steve in the face repeatedly. Steve blocks with his arms. He pushes him off with his feet, sending him into the next tank. There's a sharp intake of breath. Steve stands up as Sam arrives at his side.

Red Skull has a wedge of metal through his stomach. He looks at it, then at the Avengers. Steve steps forward. "You never beat me before," Red Skull says, blood coming out of his mouth.

"Let me remedy that," Steve punches him in the face. Red Skull goes limp, his breath ragged. Steve raises his fist again, but Sam catches it. Steve looks back at him.

"He's defeated, Steve," Sam says, "he'll never hurt the world again." Steve sees Red Skull twitch and he wrestles his arm from Sam's grip. "She's safe, Steve!" Steve stops and looks at him. "..Heather is safe. He lost."

Red Skull chuckles to himself, "You just had to give her the serum. You had to.." He coughs, "..to protect her. In order for you to feel normal, you had to make her special-"

Steve takes his shoulders. "She was already special." He slowly pulls Red Skull forward. "And it was her choice. You are the one that hurt her." Red Skull screams as Steve pulls him all the way off the fragment. He drops the the ground.

SHIELD agents arrive on the scene. Sam flies up to direct them to the villain. He looks down at Steve. "Go."

Steve nods, then takes off. "Natasha-"

"I found the serum," she says before he can ask. "What about Schmidt?"

Steve waits a beat, "SHIELD has him."

* * *

Steve arrives at the room containing the serum. It's cold, to preserve the blue liquid. "..They hadn't started replicating it yet," Natasha relays, "and we destroyed their information on it."

Steve looks at the clear canister at the back of the room. It is one and a half of his hand spans tall and less than one hand span wide. 'That came from Heather's blood,' he thinks. He takes his shield off, to shatter it. A metal hand stops him. He looks at Ironman's face plate.

"I have a better idea." He takes something out of his armor and puts it at the top. A substance comes out of the small canister and enters the serum. There are red lights that go off, alerting them that something is wrong.

"Contaminated, contaminated," a voice says. The blue serum slowly gets enveloped in the contamination and turns a purply brown.

"They won't get anything from it, it's useless," Ironman says, " _now_ you can smash it. It'll be a gelatin."

He backs up and Steve slices the canister into halves. The top falls to the floor, shattered glass covers the concrete. He shakes the brown substance off his shield, sighing.

He hears voices around him, but he ignores them. He turns around and finds his way back to the Mini-jet. He sits down as Clint takes the pilot seat. Everyone else files into the hold. The ramp closes and the Mini-jet is in the air.

Steve takes his helmet off, slides his shield to the floor, and lays down across a few seats.

 _"_ _I'm queen of the pool!"_ Heather's voice fades in as he closes his eyes, _"And there's nothin' you peasants can do about it!"_

* * *

Paramedics are on the scene as the Mini-jet and SHIELD transports land on the open platform. Steve steps off and someone comes to him. He is sat down for a moment to get vitals. He looks around. The base is mostly submerged in brown-red rock of a cliff face. It is south of the Grand Canyon, in what is called 'Oyster Ravine.'

The paramedic asks him questions and he answers them. She deems him well enough to go inside without assistance. He walks over to the doors, stepping out of the dry air.

He asks about where Heather is. He's directed to a different waiting room. The moment he walks in, he goes tense. The entire Novelty team is there, minus Rick. Each has at least two SHIELD guards on them. Nikki doesn't have her gloves, Jacey's hair is down, showing a lack of a clip, and both Finn and August have an extra guard with a gun trained on them at all times. Josh is sitting calmly, but when he looks up at Steve, he can see a storm in his eyes.

"What is going on?" He asks the soldiers. He eyes the one closest to him, who gulps.

"Following orders sir," he says, trying to cover up how Captain America is clearly intimidating him.

"On who's authority?"

"Mine." Steve turns around, eyeing Nick Fury.

"Let them go," Steve says.

Fury walks into the room, "They are enhanced individuals-"

"Actually," Finn says, "people in New York would call us 'gifted,' and it's only Jacey and I that really-" Fury moves his hand and the gun on Finn clicks. His arms go up in surrender.

"Hey, hey! stand down soldier!" Steve says, stepping forward. He looks at Fury.

"..At ease." The whole room relaxes, but the soldiers don't walk away. "Captain, these children-" Nikki scoffs. "Are dangerous."

"Like Heather was?" Steve asks.

Fury sighs, "..She's stable. The doctors are working on her knee as we speak."

"You need to let them go," Steve says.

"You do not outrank me, Captain," Fury says.

"They have not done anything dangerous. If anything, they stop the 'enhanced,' that SHIELD doesn't find," Steve argues, "And you are not putting them into some, SHIELD program. They can come and go to see Heather as they please."

"SHIELD will need to keep tabs on them," Fury says, "they resisted containment-"

"Who wouldn't?" August says. Steve understands why he had an extra gun on him.

"They came here to help their friend. They put themselves at risk coming here."

"I thought Heather didn't have friends," Fury states.

Steve swallows, "Things change. Some for good."

"If SHIELD doesn't watch them, who will? The Avengers already have a handful."

Steve looks at each of the Novelty, "They can handle themselves." Josh nods in thanks.

Fury sighs, "We'll talk later." Steve smiles, knowing he won the argument. Fury walks away, then stops, "So Heather trusts them?"

"Ask them yourself," Steve answers. Fury looks at the group.

"..She trusted us to get her here, didn't she?" August asks. Fury nods, then dismisses the soldiers. The five slowly look at Steve.

He sighs, "..Let's go see Heather."

* * *

 **I was debating whether or not to actually kill Red Skull. But, since he didn't die on a scene (but he could still die) so I guess it won't be official until we do/n't see him in Infinity War.  
** **But he's out of the picture for sure.**

 **Question: That wasn't an anti-climactic fight, was it? Did it have enough tension?**

 **Do you remember when the 'queen of the pool' quote is from?**

 **Novelty is going to be unofficially under the protection of the Avengers.**

 **Heather will definitely live (Duh. I have like ... Promise ... Civil War... meets that guy ... 'Promise 2' ... yeah, like, at least four more stories for her.)**

 **Speaking of which...**

 **THERE THERE IS ONE MORE CHAPTER LEFT!  
..Technically, it's the epilogue.  
XD  
Comments, questions, and CONGRATS..s, go below.**

 **I'll get that last bit up asap!**

 **~CtW**


	36. Epilogue

**54 days. That's how long it took for me to finish Country Lass: Return.**

 **Anyway, here's the epilogue!**

* * *

Heather's room is filled with people. All the Avengers are present, the Novelty are mixed among them. Heather has new bandages, and her knee is in a cast. While waiting for her to come out of surgery, again, the team was told about Heather's history. The part August latched onto was how Heather's family was hurt by Hydra and are at this same facility.

August looks at Heather's pained face before he turns around. He grabs Josh's arm on the way out the door. "Gus-"

"I have an idea."

Josh stops talking, but takes his arm back. He follows August to one of the help desks. "Hello boys, what can I help you with?"

August forces a smile, "We're looking for the Morse family. Can you tell us where their rooms are?"

The secretary types on the computer. Then she writes something down. "Here are their rooms."

"Thank you, ma'am," Josh says as August starts to walk away. He follows after his brother. "What's this idea again?"

"Heather could use a visit from her family. And they need to know she's okay," August says, looking over the room numbers.

"Are you sure she's okay?" Finn asks.

"..She's alive, that's what's important." August steps into the elevator and Josh follows. They step out onto the right floor and August walks down the hall. All the rooms are next to each other. He knocks on one.

A middle aged woman opens the door. "Mrs. Morse?" August asks.

"Yes? Who are you?" She asks.

"I'm August and this is my brother, Josh," August says, "we're friends of Heather."

Susan's face falls, "She's.. She's not.. I heard-"

"Your daughter is alive, Mrs. Morse," Josh assures.

"Susan, please," she says, a little relief flowing into her eyes.

"Susan. We were wondering if you'd like to come see her. She's here in this facility," Josh says.

She smiles bitterly, "Yes, I'd like that."

"Does Heather have any-"

"Andrew and Leslie are down there," she points. Josh leaves to find them. "August… Josh.." August looks back at her. "Ah! Yes, Heather mentioned you two once when she came to visit."

August nods, "..What about her father?"

Susan's face falls, "Colin.. Colin's been in a coma for.." She shudders out a sigh, "a long time, actually. But I'll tell him the next time I visit."

August nods again. He sees her standing shakily and offers his arm, "May I?" She takes it, thankful. They walk down.

Leslie is wary of Josh, so he gets down on his knees. "You must be Heather's sister," he says.

"Who are you?"

"A friend of Heather's," Josh answers. Andrew steps out of his room and walks over. He steps in front of Leslie. "Hello."

"Don't touch my sister," he says.

"Andy," Susan says. The boy looks at her.

"Mom? Who are they?"

"These are some of Heather's friends. Josh, and August." Josh stands up. "These are my other children, Leslie, and Andrew."

Josh offers his hand to Andrew, "Pleasure to meet you."

Andrew looks at his hand. August sees the action figure in his back pocket. "We're ninjas," he says.

Andrew looks at him, "Really?"

"Yeah, really," August says.

"Can you show me some moves?" Andrew asks.

"Later, sweetie," Susan says, "for now, let's go see your sister."

"Heather's okay?" Leslie asks, peeking over Andrew's shoulder.

"Heather will heal," Josh says. He offers his hand to Leslie. "You can trust me."

"..Does my sister trust you?" Leslie asks.

"Yes, she does." Leslie slowly takes Andrew's hand instead. Josh pulls back, understanding. They walk back to the elevator as a group, then Josh leads them to Heather's room. Jacey, Finn, and Nikki are outside the room. Jacey notices them first.

"Josh, where did you go?" She asks. Then she sees Leslie. "and who are they?" She asks sweetly.

"This is Heather's family," Josh answers. Susan walks away from August and looks at each in the group.

She snaps her fingers to herself, trying to remember, "Uhh.. Finn?"

"Here, ma'am," he says, raising his hand from where he's sitting on the floor.

"Jacey, and Nikki," Susan finishes.

"I'm Nikki," she answers, not moving from leaning against the wall.

"The Avengers are having a private meeting," Finn says. He peeks through the mostly closed door, where some voice filter out. "They're almost done."

"..She'll stay here," Steve's voice says. There are murmurs of agreement, then the door opens. Thor and Bruce walk out first. They see the family. Bruce nods and continues to the larger area with couches. Thor walks over to Susan. He takes her hand and kisses it.

"I'm so sorry for what happened, Lady Susan," he says, "Your daughter is strong, I know she'll pull through."

"Thank you," Susan says, touched by the gesture. Thor then kneels in front of Leslie and Andrew.

Leslie hugs him. Andrew watches Thor a moment, then starts to tear up. "Ah, brave lad," Thor says. He cups Andrew's cheek, "You take care of your sisters."

"I will sir," Andrew says.

"Aye." Thor stands up and follows Bruce. Tony walks out next. He sees the family, but only nods briefly before leaving the hall. Clint and Natasha walk out. The assassin has small tears in her eyes. She looks at the family and walks over to Susan. She hugs her.

"I should have.." Natasha doesn't finish the thought.

"Everyone is acting like Heather's.. Dead," Andrew says.

Natasha pulls away. Sam walks out, hearing Andrew's comment, "She is not dead, Andrew. But.. She is different than you remember her. It will take her time to heal." Natasha goes with Sam to the others. Clint follows, after giving Leslie a hug when she asked for it. Susan and her children go to the open door. Steve is sitting at Heather's side, looking like he lost the battle.

"Captain Rogers," Susan says softly. Steve looks up. She starts over to him. He stands up, offering her the seat.

"Heather will probably wake up soon," he says.

Andrew and Leslie share the other seat.

Steve stares at the family, out of breath from the emotional stress he's going through, "I'm sorry for not protecting her," he says, "You didn't even want her to be a part of this. I shouldn't have let her come with me. I should have got you all to safety. ..I'm sorry."

Susan doesn't say anything. She blinks back tears and looks at her little girl asleep in the bed.

"I'll leave you alone with her," Steve says.

"She still needs you," Leslie says. Steve looks at her. "..We all do."

The corner of Steve' mouth twitch. Heather groans to herself.

"Heather? Sweetheart?" Susan whispers.

Heather opens her eyes and looks at her mom. "Mom..?" She looks at the other side of the bed, "Leslie? Andy?"

"We're here, sis," Andrew says.

Heather looks at the doorway, but Steve is gone.

* * *

 **...I have no words. I have absolutely no words for this. ..I did not think I'd get this finished this summer. ...But I DID!**

 **I WILL NOT END HER STORY HERE! MARK MY WORDS, THERE WILL BE ANOTHER COUNTRY LASS STORY!  
(Only I may or may not call it 'Country Lass' something or other. ...And I don't know when I'll get to it.)**

 **If you have an interest to read my other stories, or you have not read the first two parts of Heather's story, then find them on my profile. They are semi-explained on there.**

 **Any final thoughts on this story? Any idea what the next story will be about?  
**

 **Signing off!**

 **~Created to Write**


End file.
